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All staff that wear uniform will have the option to wear the patrol flat core.

Hertfordshire Police

Female officers will no longer be required to wear bowler hats to allow police to be “their authentic selves” in the workplace.

In a move that will change a 37 year tradition, Hertfordshire Constabulary has amended its dress code and the police ‘patrol flat cap’ will now be regarded as gender neutral option for male and female officers, and Police Community Support Officers*(PCSOs).

The change, which was introduced this month, will mean female officers will no longer have to wear the gender specific bowler hat.

Since women began to join the police service at the start of the 20th century, there has been a difference in the uniform and headgear worn by male and female officers. 

As the years progressed male and female police uniforms became largely indistinguishable, apart from the bowler hat which was introduced for female police officers in 1985. Male police officers have continued to wear the traditional custodian helmet since it was introduced in the 1860s, or patrol flat cap, depending on the policing activities they are performing.

The idea to introduce the patrol cap as a viable gender neutral option was suggested to senior officers by the Herts Police LGBT+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) Network, who pointed out police headgear is the last item of uniform that remains gender specific.

Chief Superintendent Matthew Nicholls, Force Lead for Sexual Orientation and Sexual Identity, said: “An officer brought the issue to our attention when they approached the Network and expressed they felt uncomfortable being defined as female through wearing the gender specific bowler hat. 

“The patrol cap is a viable gender neutral option as it is worn by both sexes in other forces and even our own cadet force.

“We felt it was an important subject to consider as many officers and police staff may appreciate having the choice if they either do not define themselves with a particular sex, may be about to go through the transition process or even just prefer to have the option to wear the patrol cap instead. We are delighted that once the idea was raised with the constabulary’s executive team, they agreed that officers should have a choice.”

Since the start of May, female officers who would rather wear the patrol flat cap will be able to approach the Constabulary’s uniform stores to request the headgear.

Those opting to wear the patrol cap will be able to do so for the majority of their duties. However when it is operationally necessary - such as during public order events - for health and safety reasons, officers will be required to wear more protective headgear that offers a stronger, more reinforced design.

Deputy Chief Constable Michelle Dunn, said: “Providing an inclusive work environment for officers and staff is very important to the Constabulary.   After the subject was brought to our attention we reflected on our current dress code and decided it did indeed need updating.

“Every staff member and officer should feel they have the right to be their authentic selves in the workplace and we are delighted to be making this change in Hertfordshire.”

In May 2017 Northamptonshire Police announced they were ditching traditional hats for baseball-style caps and Dyfed-Powys revealed plans in April 2017 to launch gender-neutral uniforms.

West Yorkshire Police specify in their dress and appearance policy "all officers and staff are welcome to wear business attire appropriate to their identity...transgender or non-binary officer’s and staff can wear the attire that they feel most comfortable in."

David Lloyd, Police and Crime Commissioner for Hertfordshire said: “I welcome the additional choice for our officers in the uniform they wear. We must ensure police officers and staff represent the whole community and having neutral headwear is more inclusive to all parts of society.”

All other staff that wear uniform and headgear including cadets, volunteers and Special Constables will also have the choice to wear the patrol flat cap."

View On Police Oracle

 

 

[ParochialYokal 1,119]

I think it is a positive step.

The bowler hat is outdated and looks stupid.

[Zulu 22 + 4,576]

Pictured 5 females and three males.   The females look as if they have just come from play school.

[mike88 + 257]

I'd rather have baseball caps like Northants.

The custodian/bowler hats are just totally impractical and never worn in my force.

[Beaker 817]

We have the baseball hats up here. I like them, most hate them. They're good in summer, but I wear my woolly hat in winter.

[Chaos + 151]

It's female officers wearing male officers hats... Not exactly gender neutral...

[Richhamdo + 873]

5 hours ago, ParochialYokal said:

I think it is a positive step.

The bowler hat is outdated and looks stupid.

@ParochialYokal, I recall very well when the hostess hats went out and the bowler hat came in ( in our force)None of the officers I spoke to at the time wanted them, they were more than happy with what they had,  ie the white topped hostess type hat.

Just between you and me I tried  one of these on myself one night in the parade room for a jape . The female regular tried on my cap at the same time. In hindsight it’s a good job there were no phones with cameras about then ha otherwise I would never of heard the last of it.  The hostess hat was very comfortable indeed. It’s true you might end up a bit dizzy  if someone hit you over the head with whatever  in a dark alley whilst wearing it but it was in the days of health and safety gone mad days and I suspect that’s why the change was made.  Then again the same was true with wearing the cap for the men. Of course it wasn’t long before our regs and then specials six months later got the helmet,  it was the same with the men they didn’t want to lose their cap. Rich. 

[MerseyLLB 8,426]

This is absolutely sterling work. With officers swamped with crime reports, struggling to service 999 calls and regularly missing their refreshments break I'm extremely glad that a garment which most PCs have in their kit bag is now gender neutral.

On the plus side perhaps now the double standards will be gone and male officers will be able to wear a nice polo shirt with chinos as business attire (I'm still bitter about being made to wear a suit and tie on my CID attachment whilst females wore light comfy clothing open necked.)

[ParochialYokal 1,119]

I wonder how this would work with the custodian? It is probably no longer enforceable that it is used for foot patrol if Officers can now choose the gender neutral option of a flat cap...

[Hyphen + 693]

Totally agree with Mersey, when I first read this I thought thank goodness the bosses are addressing the important things. 

Its typical of modern Police forces. Plenty of effort and funding put in to this sort of thing but no one seems to care that the actual basics of Police work are impossible to do.

[Radman + 2,163]

On 04/05/2018 at 17:11, ParochialYokal said:

I think it is a positive step.

The bowler hat is outdated and looks stupid.

Can't disagree more.

Wear my custodian every shift when doing beats and never had a problem with it - public like It, it's traditional and harks back to a time when the police took things a little more professionally.

If I properly take off after someone or end up in a proper scrap it goes on the floor but so would any other form of headware.

[CountyCop + 178]

On 04/05/2018 at 19:20, mike88 said:

I'd rather have baseball caps like Northants.

The custodian/bowler hats are just totally impractical and never worn in my force.

Very few people wear them most hate it, unsurprisingly we are going back to flatcaps.

[SimonT + 1,185]

We have to wear a custodian for public order duty, until it goes wrong and nato comes out.

So it's bowler hats and custodians. Female officers can have flat caps if they want. 

I shudder to think how much time we spend on this. How do we make our hats gender neutral? Everyone gets the same one? Done, next problem. 

[mike88 + 257]

3 hours ago, CountyCop said:

Very few people wear them most hate it, unsurprisingly we are going back to flatcaps.

I'm surprised at this, I thought they looked alright but I guess they're not. Money well spent then!

 

 

[Hyphen + 693]

I still don’t get the fascination with hats really. Where I am I am issued a custodian, nothing else.

For response duties there simply isn’t a hat. 

For NTE or foot patrol (which I don’t do as a response cop) then the custodian/bowler hat is worn. I have to be honest though, I do like the custodian and bowler, I like the traditional aspect.

Personally I’m happy with not having to wear a hat though day to day, much more practical.