Police officer hats -- maybe you've never given it much thought...
There are of course the obvious ones - the iconic custodian helmet (recognised around the world as the headwear of the British "bobby") and the similar "bowler" (worn by women officers).
But then there's the flat hat. And what about the bump cap? Or the riot helmet? What do they look like, who wears it, and when?
There are lots of nuances. The custodian helmet is worn by male officers on foot patrol (although I've seen a photo of a London City police female officer wearing one). The "bowler" is worn by female officers. But both types of headwear are becoming less and less common - most wear the now ubiquitous flat cap, which can be worn by both male and female officers.
Bump caps (like baseball caps but they have a rigid interior for head protection) tend to be worn by search teams, who are often rooting around in small spaces. Baseball caps (blue or black or even fluorescent) are often carried scrunched up in a pocket by plain clothes officers (such as surveillance teams), and worn if they need to be identified as a police officer.
And riot helmets - well that's the public order world - which needs a whole blog post of its own!
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