If you really want to be the best, you have to look your best, said Chief John R. Batiste in the announcement. We instill in every new cadet the importance of wearing the uniform correctly, and with pride.
Before we go off on a comic rampage, however, we will cede to the patrols contention that the uniform of a police officer sends a clear and important message to the public about what that person does and the authority he or she has.
When a citizen in need meets a trooper whose bow tie is straight and whose shoes are shined, they know right away that theyre being assisted by a professional, Batiste said. We believe a positive first impression helps create a positive overall contact.
Compare this to the layered, rumpled look that is traditional among reporters.
The patrol used the fashion coup to point to its less-quirky award as the best-run agency of its size by the International Association of Chiefs of Police.
