Incident Response Vehicles (IRV) are generally used when a ' 999' call has been received regarding an ongoing incident or emergency. Usually an IRV would be assigned to the call, as their continual patrol of an area reduces their deployment time. Response vehicles tend to be capable of the safe use of speed. After the Nazis took power in 1933, a smaller light-weight plastic version of the stahlhelm was introduced for ceremonial occasions. This model was itself replaced by a steel variant that featured a reduced flared skirt and visor. As of September 2021, Essex Police no longer restricts any force-issue headwear by gender. Any new officer recruited since may choose between a custodian helmet or bowler hat, plus an additional peaked cap. [21] Identification [ edit ] They are responsible for attending to and controlling road-related incidents, whether minor or serious. Therefore, it is incredibly important to be visible as traffic police often work in potentially dangerous environments by managing traffic and clearing incidents. Many collisions occur on motorways due to the high volume of fast-moving vehicles. This, therefore, provides a potential danger for traffic police when dealing with accidents. Figure 11. “What’s going on ‘ere then?” At the ‘Sydney Street Siege’ (1911) a mixture of the coxcomb style on City of London Police and rose tops on Metropolitan Police. (Note that by this time the ‘Wolseley’ style flat, extended rear brim is standard).

In the United Kingdom (with the exception of Northern Ireland), the majority of police officers do not routinely carry firearms. This originates from the formation of the Metropolitan Police in the nineteenth century, when police were not armed, partly to counter public fears and objections concerning armed enforcers. So it can be said with some confidence that the first ‘Custodian’ police helmet was copied from existing contemporary Indo-British sun helmets. It was a direct sibling of the Air Chamber sun helmet and later sun helmet styles then evolving and in production in Britain. Every territorial police force has a number of officers who are routinely armed in units generally called Armed Response Vehicles. Certain specialist squads, such as the Flying Squad, Special Branch, Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection, Royal and Specialist Protection, and officers protecting airports along with government buildings, are routinely armed.Tasers are regarded as prohibited weapons under the Firearms Act 1968, and their possession is an offence. [28] Police constables are exempt as Crown servants. [28] [29] Incapacitant spray [ edit ] Their job was to look after female prisoners at police stations or the courts. As mentioned before, the traditional custodial helmet was made part of the uniform in 1865, before women were employed by the force. As a result, there are separate hat styles for men and women. One final reason could be tradition. Hats have been an essential part of the police uniform since the 19th century and it could represent the long-standing commitment that the police have had to protect the British public. Do police officers have to wear hats? Harley, Nicola (2017-05-10). "Police swap helmets for caps to attract more transgender officers". The Telegraph.

Female officers usually wear a bowler with a badge. Recently, efforts have been made to make headwear more gender-neutral. An example of this is Hertfordshire Police who have given officers the option to wear identical headwear, regardless of gender. Why do some police officers wear Baseball caps? Christys & Co Ltd., est. 1773, have produced all forms of headwear and at the end of the 19 th century were the world’s largest hatters. They survived the predominantly hatless culture of the last third of the 20 th century by supplying high quality products and specializing in equestrian helmets. Their most famous helmet however, was the ‘Custodian’, designed by them for London’s Metropolitan Police Force in 1863; tested and then adopted in 1865; the progenitor of all subsequent ‘bobby’ helmets. Discussions concerning new headwear for the police had been on-going since at least 1844 (fig. 2). Personal radio systems were first issued to police officers and installed in police cars in the 1960s (resulting in the demise of the " police box" telephones made famous by Doctor Who). In 2004, British police forces began change radios from analogue, to digital TETRA (Terrestrial Trunked Radio) system for communications, called Airwave. The custodian helmet is the headgear traditionally worn by male police constables and sergeants while on foot patrol in England and Wales. [3] Officers of all ranks in most forces are also issued a flat, peaked cap that is worn on mobile patrol in a vehicle. Ranks above sergeant wear the peaked cap only. However, some inspectors wear the custodian helmet, but with two silver bands around the base (to match the two pips worn as rank insignia) to denote their position. [4]British Police online Museum - Royal Ulster Constabulary/RUC Helmet, 1960's". Archived from the original on 5 November 2013 . Retrieved 6 October 2012.

As more police forces were set up away from London, regionally distinctive helmets were wanted. Leading to the two shell shapes and a plethora of ornamentation. The ‘spikes’ of both army and police helmets were probably based on traditional British dragoon helmet finials. The successful and popular military sun helmet designs evolved and the Army asked for a ‘Home Service’ pattern based on them. The police were then offered these by Christys as an alternative ‘Custodian’ pattern

The company has lost the original design documents, but in an interview in 2016 the Managing Director stated that their ‘Custodian’ design was based on the British Army ‘Home Service helmet’. This is confusing however as in 1863 the Home Service Helmet was not officially in use, it was adopted by the Army in 1878 after a few years of trials. So it can be assumed the statement applies to later (post 1875) Custodian styles? There are two basic Custodian body styles, the first produced in 1863 was a coxcomb (fig. 1 & 4 to 8); in the mid 1870s a symmetrical ‘bell’ shape was introduced (fig. 1, 10 & 14). These two basic styles, with many variations, have run in parallel to the present day.

Larger, more powerful vehicles are used by Road Policing Units and Armed Response Units due to the fact that they carry out tasks such as pursuing stolen cars, responding to emergencies in a larger area, or carrying a larger amount equipment than an IRV. It is for that reason that many of the vehicles are estates and 4x4s. Officers are required to be trained as 'advanced drivers', allowing them to operate higher-performance vehicles. Some advanced drivers are also trained to TPAC standard, allowing them to engage in the tactical phase of a pursuit and perform Tactical Pursuit And Containment (TPAC) maneuvers. The Custodian Helmet is made of cork covered by felt or serge-like material to match the tunic. Inside, the brim is faced with a plain material and a leather headband adjusts the fit.In 2006/7 Gwent Police and North Wales Police replaced all headgear in favour of baseball caps. In 2010/12 the two forces announced that peaked caps and helmets would return as baseball caps were seen as unprofessional and difficult for the public to see and recognise as police headgear. This change to revert to wearing helmets led to all forces in Wales to continue wearing the custodian helmet. He does seem to imply that ‘custodian’ was the original name for the 1863 design. Others who made similar items may have called their model something else. As you say the name in an actual early dated helmet would be useful, although often only the makers stamp is present as the helmet shape itself discloses the model?