Lancashire Police ditches baseball caps for traditional headwear

Andrew Snowden said the decision will "embrace the long-standing proud heritage of British policing"

Police bosses are scrapping baseball caps in favour of traditional hats to "reinforce the authority of officers".

Lancashire's Police and Crime Commissioner said £40,000 will be spent on bowler hats for female officers and white flat caps for male officers.

The traditional hats were previously ditched for the more gender-neutral baseball caps.

"This change is about reinforcing the figures of authority police officers should be," Andrew Snowden said.

He told BBC Radio Lancashire he thought the baseball caps looked like "an attempt at being some kind of American swat team" and "not what British policing is about at all".

Mr Snowden said the caps made officers feel "degraded", adding: "I know this will be warmly welcomed."

"Police Officers are expected to behave and conduct themselves in a professional way that inspires public confidence, so ensuring the uniforms they wear also uphold those standards is important," he said.

The baseball caps were introduced back in 2016

Lancashire Police's Chief Constable Chris Rowley said: "This issue has been raised with me consistently for more than a year by officers who don't like wearing the baseball caps, and I've always felt that traditional headgear is smarter and presents a more professional appearance to the public.

"I make it clear to my staff - both new recruits and those officers with more service - that I have high standards. I expect them to be smart when on duty."

Traffic officers will also go back to wearing white hats so they are clearly visible to motorists.

Meanwhile PCSOs will be more easily identified with a blue band on their hats.

The leader of Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council Phil Riley said: "It seems an odd thing to do. I don't see how it will help with the priorities that public have for policing.

"It seems an odd way to spend £40,000. There must be better ways of spending it."