West Yorkshire Police scraps traditional helmets

Police helmets will be replaced by peaked caps in West Yorkshire

West Yorkshire Police is getting rid of the traditional police helmet in favour of peaked caps.

The force made the decision after a survey found the "overwhelming majority" of staff wanted to do away with the helmets.

The "custodian" will still be worn on ceremonial occasions, like funerals and Remembrance Day parades.

West Yorkshire is the second force to make the change after Thames Valley did so five years ago.

Supt Keith Gilert said peaked caps had become "more appropriate" and "more in keeping" than traditional helmets.

'Cumbersome'

First used by the Metropolitan Police in 1863, the "custodian" helmet was based on the spiked Pickelhaube worn by the Prussian army.

Nick Smart, chairman of the West Yorkshire Police Federation, welcomed the change in headwear.

"Helmets fall off heads, they're cumbersome and a lot of the time they weren't getting used," he said.

"Officers in cars would chuck them on the back seat and not put them on to deal with an incident."