Wicked Costumes Traditional Police Bobby Hat

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Although police hats were an essential part of the uniform from the inception of the first police force in 1820, the ‘custodian helmet’ was not created until 1865. Its creation signalled a massive change in the design of the police hat. The hat moved away from the top-hat style which proved very impractical when chasing down criminals. Instead, a helmet style was introduced which took inspiration from military-style hats.

a b c Marriott, Steve (1988). "Bobby Helmet FAQ: British Police Helmets". PICA Magazine. Archived from the original on 2010-04-16 . Retrieved 27 December 2016– via The Constabulary. Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2000-06-05 . Retrieved 2010-12-13. {{ cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title ( link) Helmets closely following the British model were widely worn by the police forces of Canada, Australia and New Zealand from the late nineteenth century on until they were replaced. The New Zealand Police retained a white version until the 1990s. Other names for a Custodian HelmetHarley, Nicola (2017-05-10). "Police swap helmets for caps to attract more transgender officers". The Telegraph. Although it’s known by some as a ‘Bobby’s Helmet’ or commonly as a police hat, it does in fact have its own special name. It’s called a ‘custodian helmet’. The police hat is an easily distinguishable part of the police uniform with its helmet shape and unique badge on each hat. It first became essential wear for police officers in 1829. What started as a top hat, impractical and heavy, evolved into the police hat that we recognise today. Police forces in the UK did not issue custodian helmets to Special Constables up until around 1995; however those forces retaining the helmet now issue them to all male officers. Northamptonshire Police and Leicestershire Police both replaced custodian helmets with gender-neutral caps in 2017, but later reinstated them in 2019 and 2022 respectively. [19]

Use in countries outside the Commonwealth [ edit ] Cosenza Polizia Locale wearing custodian helmets in dress uniform. Gloucestershire Constabulary states the same that it must be worn by officers and PCSOs when in public view. A common sense approach is also adopted in times of emergency or impractical circumstances. Female officers usually wear a bowler with a badge. Recently, efforts have been made to make headwear more gender-neutral. An example of this is Hertfordshire Police who have given officers the option to wear identical headwear, regardless of gender. Why do some police officers wear Baseball caps?

a b "Custodian Helmet – Policeman's Helmet for Bobbies". Hatguide.co.uk . Retrieved 12 April 2023. The Custodian Helmet is worn by policemen in England and Wales as the traditional headgear of the 'Bobby on the beat', worn by constables and sergeants on foot patrol.