General Order 5.1 Uniform and Appearance Rev. 10142021.docx

Uniform Dress Code General Order 5.1

Subject

Uniform and Appearance

PLEAC STANDARD Reference

PLEAC 1.8.1b, 2.1.3, 2.1.4,

Index Words

Distribution

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Fort Indiantown Gap Police Bldg 7-5 Wiley Rd, Annville, PA 17003-5002

GENERAL ORDER 5.1

PURPOSE: To establish a standard uniform and dress code for Fort Indiantown Gap Police Force officers.

POLICY: Police and security personnel will maintain a standard of professional appearance as reasonably expected by the public served. Police and security personnel have daily contact with the public and military personnel. These standards are to promote a safe and hygienic work environment. It is the policy of the Fort Indiantown Gap Police that all officers properly wear the designated uniform and that all insignias are displayed in accordance with policy.

5.1.1 PROCEDURE

A. Issued Clothing and Equipment:

1. The Fort Indiantown Gap Police issues uniforms and equipment to its’ officers. The only items that are not issued are socks, underclothing, and gloves. Uniforms and equipment will be issued in accordance to the appropriate collective bargaining agreement.

2. One (1) badge will be issued to each police officer upon being sworn in.

3. All officers engaged in patrol duties regardless of rank shall wear the prescribed uniform and equipment while on duty.

4. Police Officers are issued one (1) firearm as their designated firearm for on duty use.

5. Any item not issued will not be worn with the uniform unless approved by the Chief of Police or designee.

a. A request to carry or wear a non-issued item other than a utility knife or folding knife shall be made in writing (email) to the chief of police.

6. Issued items remain the property of the Commonwealth and must be returned upon request.

B. Wearing Uniforms:

1. The uniform or parts thereof shall not be worn unless the officer is on duty or on authorized off-duty activities or with the consent of the Chief of Police or designee.

2. Officers may wear the uniform when traveling back and forth from his/her home to work. When doing so officers shall not wear the uniform in such a manner as to discredit the Fort Indiantown Gap Police.

3. No officer of the Fort Indiantown Gap Police shall wear any part of the uniform issued unless he/she is wearing the entire uniform or is in plain clothes and is wearing an outer garment to easily identify the person as a police officer.

4. Police officers will be in full uniform prior to the start of their shift and shall remain in full uniform for the entire shift. Duty belts may be removed while in the office or when working in the Control Center so long as an inner belt is worn. The removed duty belt and accessories must be secured out of sight in a safe place but be readily available.

5. Each officer will determine their daily uniform based on weather conditions and personal comfort level. Summer or winter uniform are available for wear year round. Jackets, ¼ zip shirts or coats should also be worn based on weather conditions.

6. Supervisors will be granted the authority to vary the uniform of the day to conform to changing environmental conditions.

7. All uniforms and equipment shall be maintained in a clean, serviceable condition and shall be ready for immediate use at all times.

8. Officers should maintain a high standard of personal appearance, hygiene and grooming to project an image of professionalism.

9. Officers will maintain at least one (1) uniform shirt and one (1) pair of uniform trousers in their assigned lockers at all times.

C. Plainclothes

1. Officers designated to work in plainclothes by the Chief of Police, not on a special undercover assignment, shall maintain a clean, well groomed appearance.

2. Plainclothes officers will be permitted to wear buttoned down collared shirt, polo shirt with no insignia or a police related insignia, or the manufacturer insignia on the left chest, dress pants, khaki style pants or bdu/cargo pocket style pants (5.11 or similar style).

3. If attending court while in a plain clothes assignment see court appearances (V) for proper attire.

4. Officers in plainclothes shall carry their issued duty weapon, one pair of hancuffs, and at least one extra pistol magazine.

5. If the officer’s firearm is visible to the public the issued badge shall be displayed on the officer’s belt on the same side as the firearm.

D. Issued Police/Security Equipment:

1. Issued black military/police style boots.

2. Baseball cap with patch and knit hat.

3. Issued trouser belt and duty belt, and belt keepers.

4. Police Officers: Black pistol holster, department issued sidearm/pistol, ammunition/magazine carrier, handcuff case(s) with two (2) pair of handcuffs, expandable baton with holster.

5. OC spray with holster.

6. Portable radio with holster.

7. Flashlight with applicable holster.

8. Latex glove pouch and Individual First Aid Kit.

E. Summer Uniform: Weather conditions will determine the transition to the summer uniform.

1. Short sleeve shirt with sewn-on badge and nametape. (Open collar)

2. Navy blue trousers.

3. Baseball cap with patch.

F. Winter Uniform: Weather conditions will determine the transition to the winter uniform.

1. Long sleeve shirt with sewn-on badge and nametape.

2. Navy blue trousers.

3. Baseball cap or issued winter knit hat.

4. When the winter uniform is the uniform of the day, the pullover ¼ zip jacket may substitute the long sleeve uniform shirt, allowing officers to appropriately layer for cold weather. This is to ensure proper body armor fit. Officers may elect to continue to wear the uniform shirt under the ¼ zip but are not required.

G. Coats, Jackets, Raingear and Traffic Vests

1. Officers are issued cold and foul weather attire if requested.

2. Officers are permitted to wear the appropriate cold and foul weather issued equipment based on weather and duty requirements.

3. Traffic vests shall be used when officers are directing traffic or at the direction of the Chief of Police or supervisor.

H. Footwear

1. Footwear is required to be black

2. Footwear should be conservative police related style for summer and winter wear.

3. The required color for socks is navy blue or black. White athletic socks may be worn with military/police style boots providing they are not visible.

I. Hat or Cap

1. The knit hat or baseball cap shall be worn when providing crime scene security, accident scene security, directing traffic, pedestrian crossing, while assisting at or conducting access control point duties, and/or while out of the patrol vehicle conducting special event foot patrol.

2. Wearing of the knit hat or cap at any other time is officer discretion.

3. The baseball cap and knit hat if worn, shall be worn in the manner to which it was designed and in a professional manner.

J. Belts

1. The trouser belt shall be worn through the loops of the trousers.

2. The duty belt shall be worn over the trouser belt. The four (4) belt keepers shall be used to secure the holster belt to the trouser belt.

3. Officers are required to carry all duty belt equipment issued by the Department, provided they have received appropriate training.

K. Placement of Equipment

1. The following equipment shall be placed on the strong-hand side on the holster belt: Pistol and holster (Police only).

2. The use and carrying of personally owned items on the duty belt must be approved by the Chief of Police or designee.

L. T-Shirts/Cold weather layering: Blue or black crew neck t-shirts shall be worn under the uniform shirt. Blue or black cold weather layering including mock turtlenecks (Under Armor, etc.) may be worn during cold weather or winter unform months.

M. Rank Designation

1. Police Chief

a. Uniform shirts will be navy blue in color.

b. May have collar insignia.

c. Badge will be sewn-on. (Silver/gold police badge)

2. Security Sergeants and Corporals

a. Uniform shirts will be grey in color.

b. Gold stripe rank patches will be worn on the sleeves below the Department patch.

c. Badge will be sewn-on. (Gold/silver security badge)

3. Police Sergeant

a. Uniform shirts will be navy blue in color.

b. Badge will be sewn on. (Gold/silver police badge)

c. Gold stripes will be worn under the police shoulder patch.

4. Police Officer

a. Uniform shirts will be navy blue in color.

b. Badge will be sewn-on. (Silver/gold police badge)

5. Security Officer

a. Uniform shirts will be grey in color.

b. Badge will be sewn-on. (Gold/silver security badge)

N. Body Armor

1. Body armor shall be issued to all officers. While in uniform body armor should be worn using the issued external carrier.

2. The body armor will always be worn by officers while in uniform and on duty while performing patrol/enforcement functions, during pre-planned high risk incidents or may have the opportunity to perform enforcement functions.

3. The body armor requirement may be waived if there is a temporary medical condition (supported by a physician’s excuse) on record with the Chief of Police requiring that the body armor not be worn or the officer(s) are detailed to a special duty assignment.

a. An officer with a medical excuse to not wear body armor will not be assigned to patrol or enforcement duties.

b. An officer assigned to a special function or detail, i.e. Honor Guard or plain clothes may be exempted by the Chief of Police from wearing body armor for the detail.

4. Body armor will be replaced by the FTIG Police Force in compliance with the suggested guidelines of the manufacturer. Replacement shall occur if the body armor is damaged to a point where replacement is necessary or the warranty for the body armor has expired.

5. Officers assigned to plainclothes details are not required to wear body armor at all times. The officer shall have the body armor readily available to them for enforcement related duties or emergencies.

6. Officers are permitted to remove body armor while traveling to and from their residence for their work shift.

O. Hairstyle

1. Officers shall maintain their hair in a neat, clean, and combed professional appearance. The acceptability of the hairstyle will be judged by the following standards:

2. Males

a. Officers shall keep their hair properly trimmed. The hair shall be moderately tapered, shall not extend below the top of the shirt collar nor cover any portion of the ear, and shall not interfere with the proper wearing of the uniform.

b. Sideburns will be neatly trimmed and the base will be a clean-shaven horizontal line. Sideburns will not extend downward beyond the upper line of the earlobe and will be of an even width (not flared).

c. Wigs or hairpieces may only be worn to cover natural baldness or physical disfigurement and must conform to the previously stated haircut criteria.

3. Females

a. Officers shall arrange their hair so that it does not extend below the bottom edge of the collar, not interfere with the proper wearing of the uniform hat. Hair shall be arranged so as not to interfere with vision in any way.

b. Wigs or hairpieces may be worn but must conform to the previously stated hair criteria.

P. Facial hair: Beards are not be permitted. Mustaches must be clean and neatly trimmed. Mustaches may not extend down onto the upper lip area or down the sides past the juncture of the upper and lower lip lines. Mustaches will not extend beyond the corner of the mouth more than 3/8th inch. Handlebars are not allowed.

Q. Fingernails: Officer’s fingernails shall not extend more that ¼ inch from the tip of the finger or interfere in any ways in the performance of duty or with the safe drawing of issued equipment. Fingernail polish is allowed if it does not distract from the uniform.

R. Jewelry

1. Officers shall not wear any unauthorized jewelry such as earrings, necklaces/neck chains, bracelets, pins, pendants, or large, conspicuous rings.

2. Authorized Jewelry

a. Watch

b. ID or medical bracelets

c. Necklaces/neck chains are permitted but they must be worn under the officer’s clothing and may not be visible.

d. Rings shall be limited to no more than two (2) rings per finger and shall be worn on no more than one finger per hand.

e. No jewelry requiring piercing of the body will be worn while on duty and in uniform.

S. Awards and Decorations: All awards will be worn above the badge over the left uniform shirt pocket when authorized for wear by the Police Chief.

T. Mourning Bands or Pins: Mourning bands or pins are authorized at the direction of the chief of police or designee to honor line of duty deaths, National Police Week, active duty officer deaths or any other time deemed appropriate by the chief of police or designee.

1. Duration of wear:

a. 30 days from date of line of duty death for any Law Enforcement Officer employed by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

b. Honoring other agency law enforcement officer’s death: Date of death through the day after internment or funeral if interment is delayed. If interment is delayed the band or pin may be worn again for the 24 hour period that covers the time of the internment.

c. National Police Week – The entire week Sunday through Sunday.

d. Or as directed by the chief of police or designee.

U. Sunglasses

1. Sunglasses may be worn by officers while on duty outdoors. The following colors are authorized:

a. Frames: Black, gold, silver, brown, grey

b. Lenses: No heavily tinted, glazed, reflective or mirrored sunglasses are to be worn while on duty. The following colors of lenses are permitted: Grey, black/smoke, brown

2. Exception: Exceptions to the above specifications may be granted by the Chief of Police when requested and pursuant to a medical report submitted by a Pennsylvania licensed Doctor of Ophthalmology requesting the exception and stating the cause or need for the exception.

V. Maintenance and Replacement: Equipment and gear may break, tear, or get damaged through the course of normal use.

1. Officers shall be responsible for the maintenance of department issued items. Loss or theft of any issued items shall be reported immediately to the officer’s supervisor. Officer’s will report to their supervisor any item needing replacement or repair.

2. Supervisors will immediately report the loss, theft or need for replacement/ repair of issued items to the Police Chief.

V. Court Appearances and Training Attendance

1. When appearing in County Court (not on duty) male officers will be attired in a dress shirt, dress slacks, coat and tie and appropriate shoes or dressed in the uniform of the day. Female officers will be attired in an appropriate manner or dressed in the uniform of the day. Those officers who are on duty will be dressed in the uniform of the day. No Officer will appear before a Judge wearing sneakers, sandals, jeans or any other article of clothing that would diminish the professionalism of this department.

2. When appearing before a District Magistrate (not on duty) male officers will be attired in a button down dress shirt, casual slacks and shoes or dressed in the uniform of the day. Female officers will be attired in an appropriate manner or dressed in the uniform of the day. No Officer will appear before a District Magistrate wearing sneakers, sandals, jeans or any other article of clothing that would diminish the professionalism of this Department.

3. Officers who have supplementary employment at other police departments shall not appear before County Court or a District Magistrate in other police department uniforms when representing cases of the Fort Indiantown Gap Police or wear other department uniforms when representing the Fort Indiantown Gap Police.

4. Training: Officers shall dress based on requirements of attendance indicated by the training, school or instructor. Otherwise officers shall be dressed in an applicable button down shirt, blouse or polo shirt and business casual pants or bdu style pants. Boots or other dress shoes shall be worn unless the training requires athletic style shoes.

W. Resignation or Termination: An officer who resigns or is terminated from the department shall deliver all department issued property in his/her possession to their supervisor on the last day of employment.

5.1.3 SUMMARY: The above stated policy and procedure is meant to provide general guidelines to officers of the Fort Indiantown Gap Police regarding the wear or the uniform, badges, awards, appearance and dress The Chief of Police may make modifications to this procedure as needed based on weather and duty requirements. Particular facts or circumstances may demand changes in the procedure listed above.

BY ORDER OF:

Jarrad P. Berkihiser Jarrad P. Berkihiser Chief of Police Ft. Indiantown Gap Police

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