No Hat or Tie Required: Examining Minor Changes to the Police Uniform

Abstract

This study examined the influence of a police uniform necktie and hat on citizen impressions of the officers. A sample of 36 officers was randomly assigned to one control and two treatment groups while responding to calls. Citizens receiving services from these officers were surveyed (N = 363) to determine if the presence or absence of a uniform necktie or hat influenced citizen impressions of the officers. No evidence was found to suggest that these uniform accessories had any influence on citizen impressions of officers on six semantic scales. The findings suggest that uniform hats and neckties are an issue of agency preference, but do not improve or worsen citizen impressions of officers.