Issue Date October 6, 2009 General Order 44 Effective Date Immediately Subject Review Date December Rescinds/Amends GO 44; ISSUED FEBRUARY 17, 1995 PURPOSE The purpose of this general order is to describe apparel to be worn by employees, identify the apparel items provided by the department, and define uniforms to be worn according to assignment. This order also provides basic guidelines for personal appearance on duty. POLICY The department makes every effort to furnish its members with uniforms and personal equipment that is well fitting, good quality, and suited for seasonal changes to provide maximum comfort. The uniform is designed to identify the member by name, rank, and agency. The clothing, leather goods, accessories, and service weapons are selected to convey uniformity. Beyond the uniform, the Department expects members to maintain certain standards of personal appearance as described in this General Order. 44.1 General * Issue and Replacement - Uniforms and related equipment required for the performance of assigned duties are provided and replaced for all department members with the exception of shoes, socks, and underclothing. No uniform shall be worn unless it has been issued by the department except by permission of the Chief of Police. * Care/Condition of Uniform - The uniform may become soiled and/or damaged in the performance of duty, however, when reporting for duty it shall be clean, pressed, and in good condition. Once issued, the routine care and maintenance of department apparel is the responsibility of the member. Issuing Authority Jack R. Plummer, Chief of Police KIRKWOOD POLICE DEPARTMENT 1 11/4/2009
44.1.1 Uniform Classifications * Class A Dress Uniform - Defined Long sleeved shirt and tie worn with black dress shoes and uniform headgear. Dress jacket is optional. Lieutenants and Captains must wear the white shirt with the dress uniform. - When Required - Civic functions (dinners, speeches, etc.) - Ceremonies (memorials, officer funerals) - Upon order of the Chief * Class B Utility Uniform - Long sleeved shirt with tie, Dickie/mock turtle-neck, or short sleeved shirt. Standard uniform pants or issued BDU pants. Shoes or boots. - Worn during regular shifts or during authorized secondary employment. * Class C Special Event Uniform 44.2 Uniformed Officers * Shirts * Pants - Golf style shirt with embroidered badge, issued by the Department - Department issued uniform shorts - Patrol officers, Sergeants, and Reserve Officers wear blue uniform shirts. Short sleeved shirts shall be worn with navy blue or black t-shirts. The long sleeved shirt is to be worn with a tie or with a navy blue or black dickey or mock turtle-neck. - Lieutenants and Captains may wear a blue shirt or white shirt during the day, but after dark must wear a blue shirt. - Patrol officers may wear long sleeved or short sleeved shirts appropriate to the weather conditions of their shift and their personal comfort level. - Patrol Officers are issued standard uniform pants to be worn year round. 2
- Patrol Officers are also issued BDU style navy blue pants which they may wear year round except with the Class A uniform. Members may purchase their own BDU style pants, provided they are consistent with the appearance of the Department issued BDU pants, subject to approval by the Chief of Police. * Footwear - Shoes shall be smooth toed black leather or clarino. Other styles of black leather shoes may be worn only with the approval of the Chief of Police. - Military style smooth toed black leather boots are permissible, except with the Class A uniform. - Shoes and boots are provided by the member and are to be kept clean, polished, and in good repair. - Socks are provided by the member and must be black except when worn with boots. * Headgear - Department issued uniform hat is optional, except with the dress uniform. - Winter knit caps (watch style caps) are permissible in navy blue or black, and may be purchased by the member. Knit caps must be plain or may bear the word POLICE. * Jackets and Sweater - The uniform jacket may be worn appropriate to the weather conditions of the shift and the officer s comfort level. - The department issued sweater may be worn appropriate to the weather conditions of the shift and the officer s comfort level. Rank insignias should be cloth epaulet covers issued by the department. * Body Armor: All commissioned employees shall wear Department-issued body armor while on duty in uniform or while working approved secondary employment in uniform, unless exempted below: - If a watch commander determines that weather conditions create a hazard to the health of an officer wearing body armor, the requirement can be suspended until the threat has passed; or 3
- The Department is annually provided with a written statement from a physician indicating the officer has a medical condition that would preclude the use of body armor on a mandatory basis. These exemptions are subject to review and approval by a Departmentapproved physician. The statement will be forwarded through the chain of command for approval by the Chief and will be placed in the employee's personnel file; or - When an employee is assigned to wear the Class A uniform or to an administrative duty, attend a funeral or appear in uniform for a public appearance or official ceremony. - Although these exemptions allow the employee not to wear the body armor, for their personal protection, the Department strongly urges the officers to wear their body armor while on duty or in uniform. - Officers assigned to uniformed field duty who have a medical waiver for the body armor requirement, or electing not to wear the armor during an authorized heat emergency, must ensure that their body armor is immediately available for use in an emergency. 44.2.1 Leather Accessories and Equipment Furnished by the Department. * Officers will be issued duty leather and other equipment necessary for duty. The Department s designated equipment officer will issue equipment from a current Equipment Checklist, and will maintain files detailing items issued to each officer. 44.2.2 Insignia - Officers may not wear non-department issued equipment and leather accessories except as otherwise approved by the Chief of Police. - When department issued equipment becomes damaged beyond repair or otherwise needs to be replaced, the officer needing the equipment replaced will show the item in question to his or her supervisor or to the designated equipment officer for inspection to verify the need. If warranted, the replacement will be documented and filed by the equipment officer. * Breast Badge - Worn attached to the shirt above the left pocket. When the jacket is worn the badge is attached to the jacket. * Cap Badge/Strap 4
- For patrol officers a silver colored metal expansion strap is worn secured by silver buttons. - Sergeants wear a gold colored metal expansion strap secured with gold buttons. - Ranks of Lieutenant and above wear a gold braid type strap attached with gold buttons. The cap visor for the Chief may be the gold "scrambled egg" type. * Shoulder Patch - Worn on the sleeves of each shirt and jacket, 3/4 inch below the shoulder seam. The shirts and jackets are normally issued with the patch attached. Shoulder patches shall be maintained by the member. * Rank Insignia - Worn by members with the rank of Sergeant and above. - Sergeant chevrons (stripes) are worn on each sleeve of the shirt and jacket, above the elbow, normally attached when the shirt is issued. - Lieutenants and above wear traditional military rank insignia, gold colored, on each epaulet of the shirt and/or jacket. The outer edge of the insignia is to be at least 1/2 inch from and parallel to the shoulder seam of the garment. 44.2.3 Accouterments - Only those items listed below may be worn on the uniform, unless as otherwise noted. * Name Tag - Issued to the member and worn on the upper seam of the right shirt pocket. When jackets are worn it is to be worn on the jacket. - Name tags for the ranks of Lieutenant and above are gold colored. All others are silver colored. * Service Star - Issued to members for each 5 years of service completed. Service stars are worn directly above the name tag. - Service stars for the ranks of Lieutenant and above are gold colored, all others are silver colored. * Department Awards Breast bars awarded by the Department under General Order 34 may be worn on the uniform shirt or jacket where designated. * Other Items Non department issued items may be worn on the uniform only upon permission by the Chief of Police. * Tie - Issued to the member is black, clip-on style clipped to the shirt with a conservative tie clasp, tie tack, or chain. 5
* Whistle and Whistle Chain - A whistle is issued by the department. - A whistle chain is optional and purchased by the member. When worn, the whistle chain is attached to the right shoulder epaulet and the whistle carried in the right shirt pocket. - When wearing a jacket the whistle chain is worn on the jacket in the same manner as on the shirt. - Whistle chains for the ranks of Lieutenant and above are gold colored, all others are silver colored. * Writing Instruments - Conservative in nature. 44.2.4 Special Situation Gear * Motorcycle Qualified Officers - Motorcycle Helmet - Issued by the department, worn while operating the department motorcycle. - Motorcycle Boots Provided by the department and worn when operating the department motorcycle. Officers in possession of motorcycle boots prior to the issuance of this order may request the department purchase new boots for them upon showing that their present boots are in need of replacement. - Britches - Issued by the department, designed to be worn with motorcycle boots, only worn when operating the department motorcycle. * Riot Helmets/Batons/Shields - Stored at the police department and available for situations requiring protection. * Traffic Safety Vests - Issued by the department and are to be immediately accessible. - Vests are to be worn over the outermost garment anytime a member is directing traffic on a public or private street (accident scenes, school traffic, parades, etc.), or when required to be on an open roadway for reasons other than directing traffic. * Hearing Protectors/Eye Protection - Mandatory for anyone shooting at the department range or the St. Louis County Range. Hearing and eye protection is supplied to members while at the ranges. 44.3 Officers Assigned Plainclothes Duty 6
44.3.1 Detectives, Evidence/Property/Identification and Juvenile Officers - Wear civilian clothes when on duty. Civilian clothing shall meet the following standards: * Care and Condition - Clothing may become soiled/damaged in the performance of duty. When reporting for duty it shall be clean, pressed, and in good condition. Shoes and any other leather items are to be shined and in good condition. Any accessories worn shall be clean and untarnished. * Clothing - Wardrobe is to be maintained with clothing allowance received. - Plain clothes officers shall wear a business suit, sport coat and dress trousers, or other conservative apparel of a business casual nature. - When appearing in court, plain clothes officers must wear the police uniform or a suit and tie, or a sport coat with dress trousers, shirt and tie. Uniformed officers appearing in court have this plain clothes option as well. * Shoes/Socks - Shoes may be any standard dress shoe color coordinated with clothing. - Socks or hosiery is to be conservative and appropriate for clothing worn. * Coats - Should be of a conservative style and type appropriate for weather. * Raincoats - When worn they are to be a standard male or female style and appropriate to other clothing worn. 44.3.2 SEG and Undercover officers may wear other articles of clothing and carry additional equipment as required by their assignment, and as approved by the Chief of Police. 44.4 Non-Sworn Employees 44.4.1 Dispatchers/Records Clerks/Secretary * Employees in this classification are issued uniform items as identified by a current Equipment Checklist maintained by the designated equipment officer. - Employees in this classification may opt to wear business casual attire as defined in Article XXIII of the City of Kirkwood Policies and Procedures Manual. - When wearing the department issued uniform, employees in this classification shall only wear clothing and accouterments issued by the department, unless otherwise approved by the Chief of Police. When in 7
44.4.2 Parking Control Attendant uniform these employees shall wear black or navy blue shoes of a conservative style. * Parking Control Attendants are issued uniform items as identified on a current checklist maintained by the designated equipment officer. * Parking Control Attendants may choose to wear issued shorts or trousers dependant upon weather conditions during their shift and their own personal comfort levels. * Footwear, cruiser jacket, headgear, rain gear and orange safety vest are to be worn in the same manner as described for uniformed sworn personnel (44.1.1, 44.1.2, 44.1.3). 44.5 PERSONAL APPEARANCE 44.5.1 Commissioned Personnel * Hair must be clean, neat, and combed. Commissioned members in uniform shall wear their hair above the ears and the shirt collar at the back of the neck, when standing with the head in a normal posture. The bulk or length of the hair shall not interfere with the wearing of the issued head gear. Commissioned members in plain clothes assignments other than undercover assignments shall follow the above guidelines. * Sideburns shall be neatly trimmed, rectangular in shape, and shall not extend below the bottom of the ear opening. * Members shall be clean shaven, except that they may have mustaches which shall not extend beyond the corners of the mouth or below the upper lip line. * Wigs or hair pieces are permitted if they conform to the standards for natural hair as set forth above. * Personal jewelry that may be worn must be conservative in nature. All jewelry worn may be subject to approval by the Chief of Police. * It shall be prohibited for members to display tattoos on any body part visible when wearing the designated department uniform, as defined in General Order 44. Members that are in violation of this order prior to it's issuance or prior to employment with the City are exempt regarding those tattoos but must comply with these guidelines in the possible acquisition of any new tattoos. * Prescription eyewear and sunglasses should be conservative in nature, so as not to distract from the uniform. 8
44.5.2 Civilian Personnel * Civilian employees are also encouraged to maintain high personal grooming and hygiene standards. Civilian employees are reminded of the importance of a wellgroomed appearance in maintaining a favorable image of the Department. Any facial hair will be kept in a neatly trimmed condition. REFERENCES Standards for Law Enforcement Agencies Manual by CALEA; Information memo February 12, 1982; General Orders 5-73, 11-76, 7-78, and 14-78. CALEA STANDARDS ADDRESSED 41.2.14, 64.1.5, 64.1.15, 64.1.18 9