I saw this quite recently on a crime drama set in contemporary times, and it really jarred. Police officers (male and female) were at the scene of a crime, speaking to witnesses, running cordons, generally doing police stuff. And they all had hats or helmets on with straps under their chin!
The only time I can recall seeing officers wearing the straps on their helmets was during the miners’ strike in 1984 and the fighting between strikers and police (photo).
It just doesn’t happen otherwise these days. Helmets and 'bowler' hats (worn by female officers) are largely useless to be honest - usually in a ruck, or a chase, the helmet goes flying anyway. And if police are going into a public order situation, they’re more likely to be wearing riot gear, with proper crash helmets, visors, etc.
As a Police Advisor, I absolutely understand that directors of Film and TV productions have to strike the balance between reality and the needs of the drama. However, there are always things that productions don’t get quite right - sometimes, very easy things to avoid/fix! I'll be posting these occasionally, as they occur to me - enjoy!
Could your next Film or TV production benefit from a Police Advisor? Please get in touch for a free, no obligation chat about how I might be able to help your production look and feel authentic, without holding up the story!
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