Indianapolis Getting worse.......

[LEaSH]

Sure. That goes for most everything. Except good food.

 

[Trigger Time]

Well constructed shirts are rare anymore. Even pants. I don't have any 5.11 clothes but the ones I've handled on the rack are obviously superior to most anything else.

I agree that 5.11 is top of the line hands down. They are too expensive on a lot but the pants. Are a good value and the belts and some boots. The shirts and other gear are too high for me.
the socks are also probably some of the best I've ever had.

ill agree with the above poster that the uniforms are nice! I dont know if they are comfortable but from a citizens standpoint nothing does a better job commanding respect than a nicely tailored and polished uniform. I know a lot are wearing bdu type uniforms and im sure they are more comfortable but not as nice looking. But id rather be comfortable if it were me.

 

[VUPDblue]

I agree that the class C (BDU type) doesn't look as clean and polished as the class B type. That said, the Cs hold up better and are more comfortable IMHO but they are also hotter because they don't "breathe". I wear my class Bs when it's hellaciously hot for that reason.

 

[2ADMNLOVER]

IMHO but they are also hotter because they don't "breathe". I wear my class Bs when it's hellaciously hot for that reason.

They don't have winter / summer versions like the military does ?

 

[LEaSH]

I dig the fact that IMPD is pretty strict on their officers' dress code and keeping them accountable at inspection. What do they do, every month or few weeks? I've heard there's not much room for a sloppy dresser. Belt, buttons, etc, everything has to be in very good to excellent condition.

It might seem minor, but keeping the uniforms in good condition and looking sharp makes a big difference. I've noticed other cities have cops that dress like surfer dudes.

I hope all that gear is tax deductable, because those things are not cheap.

 

[jsharmon7]

Here is a neat crime mapping tool for Marion County:

MapIndy

 

[Trigger Time]

Not trying to offend anyone with this next comment but in discussing the dress code, i find it very sloppy when i see departments who allow facial hair beyond a trimmed mustache. Just my opinion. I think it makes a cop in uniform look unclean and the "clean" and "honest" image is what helps us traditionally relate to and trust cops. Again its not my intention to hurt anyones personal feelings, its just meant as a statement towards a standard, like in the military. I dont know what impds policy is?

 

[LEaSH]

I've never seen an IMPD (uniformed) that had a beard. I'm almost positive they are not allowed. Mustaches; many.

 

[Frank_N_Stein]

I've never seen an IMPD (uniformed) that had a beard. I'm almost positive they are not allowed. Mustaches; many.

Yup. Only undercover detectives can have beards.

 

[dhnorris]

it sure doesn't seem like it. we have to realize though this isn't an "unsafe" city, there is a lot of violence and shootings and gang and drug related activities. I have lived on the East Side for 14 years, I have seen it get worse, but I have also seen a lot of positive. Look at Irvington. One thing I can say for sure, I have never felt unsafe.
My husband and I were downtown last night. I didn't feel unsafe, I didn't feel threatened. We walked the Mall. Same there, you don't associate with that type of activity, you usually won't be burdened with it.

I took my wife to a concert at deer creek 14 years ago and after the show we went downtown and while we were walking a suburban passed us and "kill all white people" was screamed out the window. My entertainment dollars have not been spent downtown since.

 

[Denny347]

Not trying to offend anyone with this next comment but in discussing the dress code, i find it very sloppy when i see departments who allow facial hair beyond a trimmed mustache. Just my opinion. I think it makes a cop in uniform look unclean and the "clean" and "honest" image is what helps us traditionally relate to and trust cops. Again its not my intention to hurt anyones personal feelings, its just meant as a statement towards a standard, like in the military. I dont know what impds policy is?

Oh, don't get me started about beards and goatees in uniform. I HATE them. They look like crap...real crap. Having the look is half the battle. You deal with dirtbutts while looking professional, look halfway in shape, and have some sort of professional attitude and your are much less likely to have a resistor. Fewer resistors = less chances to get hurt.

I agree that 5.11 is top of the line hands down. They are too expensive on a lot but the pants. Are a good value and the belts and some boots. The shirts and other gear are too high for me.
the socks are also probably some of the best I've ever had.

ill agree with the above poster that the uniforms are nice! I dont know if they are comfortable but from a citizens standpoint nothing does a better job commanding respect than a nicely tailored and polished uniform. I know a lot are wearing bdu type uniforms and im sure they are more comfortable but not as nice looking. But id rather be comfortable if it were me.

I must have my class C (BDU) tailored. They seem to assume that wide shoulder also means big gut. Most of the guys do not spend the extra $20 or so to have them tailored so they walking around looking like a soup sandwich. It is frustrating. A tailored BDU uniform goes a LONG way to making the uniform professional and just slightly less than the class B (traditional polyester). I brush polish my boots, after years of spit shining them I stopped after I got more worried about the shine then the bad guys I was chasing. Brush shine still looks nice. I buy the quality boots...Danner Recons. My feet thank me in the rain and the winter. What great boots, look good and they take care of my feet. Worth every penny.

 

[Trigger Time]

Denny, sounds like you have the great image to go along with your great performance as a cop. I knew someone who worked in a job where all they did was making phone calls to their customers. She told me that there was a study done that showed customers were more satisfied with their caller when the caller was dressed nice rather than ones who just wore street clothes. The customers never saw who they were talking to but i guess the confidence of being in nicer attire came across through the conversation. Pretty cool!
i dont know but maybe the same holds true with a well dressed officer and their attitude and confidence of feeling good in a nice uniform. You already said it makes a difference in the bad guys attitude, so maybe?
i agree with the tailored uniform. In the military you could always tell who the national guard guys were by their sloppy uniforms before even seeing their unit patch.

 

[IndyDave1776]

I must have my class C (BDU) tailored. They seem to assume that wide shoulder also means big gut.

That sounds about as annoying as the buyers responsible for filling the shelves who apparently don't believe that there are such things as tall fat people! You will notice that pants generally come in small waists and short lengths, small waists and long lengths, or large waists and short lengths, with the next item in this series conspicuously absent.

 

[drillsgt]

Oh, don't get me started about beards and goatees in uniform. I HATE them. They look like crap...real crap. Having the look is half the battle. You deal with dirtbutts while looking professional, look halfway in shape, and have some sort of professional attitude and your are much less likely to have a resistor. Fewer resistors = less chances to get hurt.

I must have my class C (BDU) tailored. They seem to assume that wide shoulder also means big gut. Most of the guys do not spend the extra $20 or so to have them tailored so they walking around looking like a soup sandwich. It is frustrating. A tailored BDU uniform goes a LONG way to making the uniform professional and just slightly less than the class B (traditional polyester). I brush polish my boots, after years of spit shining them I stopped after I got more worried about the shine then the bad guys I was chasing. Brush shine still looks nice. I buy the quality boots...Danner Recons. My feet thank me in the rain and the winter. What great boots, look good and they take care of my feet. Worth every penny.

I agree, there's a sergeant out here in Greenfield with a goatee and a little overweight and just looks like one of corrupt prison guards from a bad movie. I have to say IMPD guys/gals uniforms and appearance always looks pretty good. I've been to some cities like Detroit where the uniforms look ill fitting, sloppy etc., NYC as well.

 

[VUPDblue]

denny is spot-on about appearance and attitude. I work with someone who is a bit over weight and wears very poorly fitting unifirms and it seems like he has folks run/fight all the time...

 

[Denny347]

I agree, there's a sergeant out here in Greenfield with a goatee and a little overweight and just looks like one of corrupt prison guards from a bad movie. I have to say IMPD guys/gals uniforms and appearance always looks pretty good. I've been to some cities like Detroit where the uniforms look ill fitting, sloppy etc., NYC as well.

Yuk. There are many reasons I work out, but one of them is the job. I am able to perform my job as people expect me to and quite frankly, at 6'2" I want to be the guy standing there giving the bad guys pause. (contrary to my actual personality) I want them to look at me and think, "If I run, he will catch me and when he does he's big enough to kick my ass." Who knows if it works but I cannot remember the last time I had to actually fight someone. There was a study done where they asked convicted cop killers what led up to their decisions to kill the officer. Most responded that they were stopped and they did not even try assaulting the officer who stopped them if they looked/acted as professional. They then were stopped by a sloven, lazy looking officer and they decided that they could kill them and get away with it. I cannot find that study though. Good reading.

 

[KellyinAvon]

Maybe it was those 21 years in the Air Force, but when you're wearing a uniform you're supposed to look sharper than the average person not in uniform. Especially if the non-uniform-wearer is a slob.

 

[Liberty1911]

Oh, don't get me started about beards and goatees in uniform. I HATE them. They look like crap...real crap. Having the look is half the battle. You deal with dirtbutts while looking professional, look halfway in shape, and have some sort of professional attitude and your are much less likely to have a resistor. Fewer resistors = less chances to get hurt.

Isn't the elephant in room then, that we should eliminate women as beat cops?

If a criminal is evaluating his determination to resist based on a male cop being overweight or unkempt, then I can only imagine that he would also consider a female officer an easier target to resist.

Based on your theory, and I'm not saying it doesn't have merit, then a female cop is at a greater risk of being hurt by a perp simple because they are female.

And, if we are using safety as a reason for appearance regulations, then to be consistent, we would also have to take gender appearance into account.

 

[VUPDblue]

There are plenty of female officers who are plenty capable of kicking ass and taking names....and they usually don't have to, again, possibly due to the fact that they project that very thing,

 

[Denny347]

Isn't the elephant in room then, that we should eliminate women as beat cops?

If a criminal is evaluating his determination to resist based on a male cop being overweight or unkempt, then I can only imagine that he would also consider a female officer an easier target to resist.

Based on your theory, and I'm not saying it doesn't have merit, then a female cop is at a greater risk of being hurt by a perp simple because they are female.

And, if we are using safety as a reason for appearance regulations, then to be consistent, we would also have to take gender appearance into account.

I have some female coworkers that while they are not BIGGER than me, they have a command presence and look sharp.