# Do any police still dress like this? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 14, 2006, 7:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-police-still-dress-like-this/384093 "2006-12-14T07:41:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2006, 7:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-police-still-dress-like-this/384093/1 "2006-12-14T07:41:07Z")
Per this old Dick Tracy comic;. Are there still policemen [who dress this way](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/75/92344.jpg) with the riding style pants and an exterior shoulder strap + belt holding the gun and bullets? Not sure what’s going on with the leggings, and if they are high boots or gaiters of some kind. ---
**Author:** ![Foldup\_Rabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/df788c/32.png) [@Foldup\_Rabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Foldup_Rabbit)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2006, 8:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-police-still-dress-like-this/384093/2 "2006-12-14T08:59:47Z")
The [Italian Police](http://www.dumbcrooks.com/gallery/albums/police-cars/Lamborghini_Gallardo_Italian_Police_Car.jpg) seem to dress like that, or something similar. They look like they are wearing gigantic leather riding boots. They also seem to be driving a Lamborghini. Best police force ever. ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2006, 9:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-police-still-dress-like-this/384093/3 "2006-12-14T09:04:02Z")
I have always loved the old police/military officer style uniform with the knee-high riding boots, breeches, leather strap, billed cap, etc. Unfortunately in the US I think it has developed an association with the Nazis, so I think it is now quite out of style. Whenever I draw policemen in my drawings I always have them wear the old-style uniform though. ---
**Author:** ![Pushkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2006, 9:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-police-still-dress-like-this/384093/4 "2006-12-14T09:59:03Z")
Continental European police uniforms always struck me as slightly more militaristic looking than UK and Ireland uniforms (even when the RUC here in Northern Ireland was fully tooled up for the Troubles) ---
**Author:** ![ratatoskK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ratatoskk/32/2987_2.png) [@ratatoskK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ratatoskK)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2006, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-police-still-dress-like-this/384093/5 "2006-12-14T12:30:42Z")
The [Massachusetts State Police](http://statepolice402.com/) wear that sort of costume. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2006, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-police-still-dress-like-this/384093/6 "2006-12-14T13:54:03Z")
Lots of departments have the jodhpur pants for motorcycle officers. Lots of departments still use the over-the shoulder strap. For example: [Main Page](http://www.mshp.dps.missouri.gov/MSHPWeb/Root/index.html) Damn few have single bullets in loops on a belt. But that’s more a matter of the type of weapon carried than a matter of style. ---
**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2006, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-police-still-dress-like-this/384093/7 "2006-12-14T13:56:07Z")
Just a note - the belt with shoulder strip is a [Sam Browne belt.](http://www.diggerhistory.info/pages-uniforms/sam_browne.htm) ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2006, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-police-still-dress-like-this/384093/8 "2006-12-14T14:26:10Z")
[QUOTE=astro] Per this old Dick Tracy comic;. Are there still policemen [who dress this way](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/75/92344.jpg) with the riding style pants and an exterior shoulder strap + belt holding the gun and bullets? Not sure what’s going on with the leggings, and if they are high boots or gaiters of some kind. [/QUOTE] In that picture, are you sure that policeman is wearing pants? ---
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2006, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-police-still-dress-like-this/384093/9 "2006-12-14T14:33:38Z")
That style of uniform used to be common for officers riding motorcycles. The boots were to protect the legs and ankles. The belt arrangement is called a “Sam Browne” belt and the cross strap was to transfer some of the equipment weight from the belt to the shoulder. [http://www.diggerhistory.info/pages-uniforms/sam\_browne.htm](http://www.diggerhistory.info/pages-uniforms/sam_browne.htm) The belts became unpopular with police officers when they discovered that during a fight, if the bad guy got hold of the shoulder strap he had you until he was done with you. :eek: Most police officers that wore ties as part of their uniform wore clip on ties for the same reason. I was a reserve officer for a short time back in the late 60’s and I was told about the tie issue back then. ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2006, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-police-still-dress-like-this/384093/10 "2006-12-14T15:05:22Z")
Also [The State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations Police](http://www.risp.state.ri.us/img/TROOPER.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2006, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-police-still-dress-like-this/384093/11 "2006-12-14T15:35:33Z")
I’d think mounted police would wear the jods. Funny, but I didn’t take note the last time I saw one. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2006, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-police-still-dress-like-this/384093/12 "2006-12-14T15:53:50Z")
The [New Jersey State Police](http://www.njsp.org/index.html) look a bit like that picture from the waist up. They do wear straight legged pants with a yellow stripe and not jods. ---
**Author:** ![Dorjan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dorjan/32/12440_2.png) [@Dorjan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dorjan)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2006, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-police-still-dress-like-this/384093/13 "2006-12-14T17:07:02Z")
And of course, the much heralded and famed [Royal Canadian Mounted Police](http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/protocol/site/images/dip_forum/2004/RCMP-CH-00298.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2006, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-police-still-dress-like-this/384093/14 "2006-12-14T17:09:14Z")
The stereotypical policeman’s uniform in my mind is the double-breasted tunic coat with cadet collar and shiny buttons. Does any police force still wear those? ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2006, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-police-still-dress-like-this/384093/15 "2006-12-14T17:11:02Z")
(er … besides the RCMP?) ---
**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2006, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-police-still-dress-like-this/384093/16 "2006-12-14T17:25:04Z")
[QUOTE=Dorjän] And of course, the much heralded and famed [Royal Canadian Mounted Police](http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/protocol/site/images/dip_forum/2004/RCMP-CH-00298.jpg) [/QUOTE] those are dress uniforms. We were in Port Aurthur/Fort William(?) (before it became Thunder Bay) and saw some Mounties going to a cafe for lunch. They just wore greenish jackets and trousers. Very disappointing, they didn’t look anything like[Nelson Eddy.](http://www.reeljewels.com/eddy/) ---
**Author:** ![Malienation](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4af34b/32.png) [@Malienation](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malienation)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2006, 8:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-police-still-dress-like-this/384093/17 "2006-12-16T08:00:43Z")
Sure. Just google “Tom of Finland.” Plenty of cops there wearing that sorta garb. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2006, 8:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-police-still-dress-like-this/384093/18 "2006-12-16T08:42:08Z")
[QUOTE=Malienation] Sure. Just google “Tom of Finland.” Plenty of cops there wearing that sorta garb. [/QUOTE] Just a warning for those not familiar with the name: DO NOT GOOGLE TOM OF FINLAND AT WORK!! Or if you’re squeamish about explicit homosexual activities… ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2006, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-police-still-dress-like-this/384093/19 "2006-12-16T16:49:17Z")
[QUOTE=acsenray] The stereotypical policeman’s uniform in my mind is the double-breasted tunic coat with cadet collar and shiny buttons. Does any police force still wear those? [/QUOTE] I think some still use it as a sort of ceremonial full-dress uniform. But in normal usage most departments have switched to more practical environment-appropriate outfits. ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2006, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-police-still-dress-like-this/384093/20 "2006-12-16T17:24:42Z")
[QUOTE=ratatoskK] The [Massachusetts State Police](http://statepolice402.com/) wear that sort of costume. [/QUOTE] Costume? :eek: [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-police-still-dress-like-this/384093.md?page=2)