Uniform, reform or just dressing it up?
The decision to choose blue and white combination for traffic cops could have several connotations. Of course, above all, to perform in the conditions that we have in our state, they would need something durable and comfortable.
Therefore, the significance of the uniform cannot be undermined. Most people can identify a police officer by the uniform. When citizens on a busy street are in need of help, they scan the crowds of pedestrians looking for the distinctive uniform of a police officer.
Drivers who come to an intersection manned by a person in police uniform usually willingly follow that person’s directions. Criminals usually curb their unlawful behaviour when they spot a cop in uniform. Many parents teach their children to respect and trust a person in police uniform.
Research has revealed that the uniform has a subconscious psychological influence on people, based on the person’s preconceived feelings about police officers. When a person wears the police uniform, citizens tend to be more cooperative.
Let’s look at the various aspects of clothing.
SOCIAL SIGNIFICANCE OF CLOTHING
Clothing serves as a mental shortcut to identifying a person’s sex, status, group membership, legitimacy, authority and occupation.
Studies have revealed that physical appearance – including clothing – is the factor most often used in developing a first impression of someone.
The police uniform serves to identify a person as one vested with the powers of the state to arrest and use force. The psychological and physical impact of the police uniform should not be underestimated.
Depending on the background of the citizen, the police uniform can elicit emotions ranging from pride and respect, to fear and anger.
Drivers were also found to commit far fewer turn violations at an intersection if a person wearing a police-style uniform was standing on the sidewalk near the corner.
Though police uniform, in general, suggests the authority of the one who wears it, details about a policeman’s uniform, such as the style of cap or the tailoring, can influence the level of authority emanating from the officer.
EFFECT OF COLOUR
Psychological tests have found that people associate colours with specific moods. For example, red is generally associated with excitement and stimulation, thus explaining why it is often a colour in flashing emergency vehicle lights.
These tests have also found that the blue colour is associated with feelings of security and comfort, and black is most often associated with power and strength.
These results were not based on cultural influences because they did not vary with the cast, religion or status of the subjects.
Light colours are consistently associated with goodness and weakness, while dark colours are consistently perceived as strong, but evil. On psychological inventories, test subjects rate lighter colours as more pleasant and less dominant.
Dark colours on the other hand elicit emotions of anger, hostility, dominance, and aggression.
If the results of these studies in colour were applied to the police uniform, it would seem to suggest that darker police uniforms may be sending negative subconscious signals to citizens.
Research has revealed that the style of clothes, the type of cap worn, the colour of the material and even the condition of the clothes and equipment has an influence on how citizens perceive the officer.
ARE WE MISSING SOMETHING?
Uniform apart, the selection of the right person for the job, empowered with that sense of responsibility, a persona to express and respect authority, physical fitness to face the tough conditions, and significant improvement in working conditions, backed by police reforms are probably key to everything falling into place. A mere change in the colour of the uniform will not be enough.