Do traffic police have to wear there hats?? especially when pulling someone over..?

skipper409

(UK) - stated cases (cases heard on appeal, which then decide any similar cases in future) have altered the meaning of 'full' uniform... it basically now means an officer who's appearance is one of wearing a uniform -ie, anyone who appears to be a uniformed officer due to their clothing - a hat is not required. This has had to come in, when you think of the variety of uniform now worn - yellow reflective tabards, polo shirts, white shirts & epaulettes, overalls, traditional hemets, berets, flat caps, baseball hats, cargo pants, cycling gear, leather motorcycle suits - you name it, someone wears it!

Chadders

It used to be true that for certain traffic offences the officer had to be in full uniform, including the hat. Unfortunately for you the rules were changed.

Byte

Not true at all ...... sorry

nicola s

sorry your out of luck you are just going to have to go to court and take what they give you

frankturk50

No they dont by law.Some years ago the courts decided that a policeman without his hat on was not in uniform and the road traffic act only gives a police officer in uniform the right to pull over cars but this was sensibly reversed years ago.
So the info was correct once but is about 30 years out of date in the UK.

Rachel

Not true at all.
Pay the fine and stop wasting peoples time and money

Pooky Bear the Sensitive

Each department will have its own uniform policy. You will be laughed at if this is your defense. My department did not wear hats most of the time.

rick_wenham

This is a myth that is as old as the hills, the police do not have to wear hats to enforce traffic law. They have to be identifiable as a police officer and this can be as little as the "POLICE" badge on their body armour if they are wearing jeans.

Please dont try and use this as your only line of defence in court the magistrate will not be amused and will probably give you heavy court costs for wating time IF you are found guilty of the original offence.

Combatcop

I've got an idea. Don't pay your fine or go to court. When you get picked up for the eventual warrant or suspended license, tell the judge the initial charge was bogus because the cop wasn't wearing a hat.

woznotwoz

Complete rubbish if you really think something as minor as that will get you off think again.
Why would not wearing a hat get you off?
Did you not recognise him as a Police Officer?
Did you or did you not commit the offence?
If you have to go to court whose fault is it (yours)?
Aren't driving offences one of the many things police officers are supposed to cover? No insurance, no MOT, vehicle construction and use regs and poor driving(due care) etc etc to name a few.
At the end of the day you either commited the offence or not and a police officer not wearing a hat will not get you off.
It all sounds pretty desparate.

Kenneth C

That might be a violation of their departmental regulations, but not enough to get a summons thrown out. You can be issued a summons by a plain clothes officer as long as they are on duty and acting in an official capacity. If that is your best defense, just pay the fine.

Ian UK

Not as far as I'm aware.
Is that the best defence you can come up with?
Pathetic

Tom M

I think that every once in a while the courts need a good laugh. Go ahead, make their day.

Nationalist

Cops aren't required to wear hats. That is the silliest reason I have ever heard for attempting to get your ticket chucked. It would never work, even if they were required to wear a hat.

I think you must be joking.

DARREN E

IT IS NOT A REQUIREMENT BY LAW THAT A TRAFFIC BOBBY WEARS HIS HAT....IT IS DOWN TO THE INDIVIDUAL POLICE FORCE AS TO WHETHER OR NOT IT IS THEIR FORCE POLICY THAT OFFICERS SHOULD WEAR HEADGEAR WHEN DEALING WITH MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.

Dont get Infected

its not required. but it is part of the uniforms

thatmadlass

I've heard this one many times and I think it is one of those legandry urban myths that circulate.

It seems is isn't true tho!

fr_chuck

Of course not that is the silliest thing I have ever heard.
many departments don't even issue or have hats, they get dirty or damaged. In some departments it is considered proper unitform, and the department wants them worn all the time, but not wearing it does not take away the ticket.

Note in 20 plus yeasrs, I never even wore a hat and not a single ticket was invalid.

Team Chief

There isn't a grain of truth to it. The issue of whether or not the officer was wearing a hat has absolutely nothing to do with the offense that you committed that caused him to pull you over.

Quit whining and go pay your ticket.

allen555

The Road Traffic Act makes reference in some parts to the powers only being executed by 'a police officer in uniform'. Strictly speaking a police officer who is not wearing a hat is not in uniform.

anansa171

They do always seem to make a point of it.. it might be because a few of them are bald. No offence.

vdv_desantnik

complete tosh, and whoever told you this deserves a slapping this only applies to traffic wardens

dreeko24442758

yes its not offical unless they are wearing a hat
they have to be in full uniform

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