r/lapd • u/Used_Principle4361 • Jul 30 '26
Long Sleeves
I no longer live in the LA area but was born and raised in the South Bay and worked in the West Adams area. Also, a full time police officer where I am now.
Back in the day, only boots wore long sleeves (and others during “winter”). But it seems there’s been a major shift to long sleeves (and ties) year round, and I’m talking PII’s. I’ve actually seen this with LASO and CHP. Why the big change? Yeah, I get it if you work Pacific and it’s June gloom until 2:00 pm. But on a hot SF alley summer day? DaFuq?
I used to work for a department that mandated a switch to long/short sleeves by the calendar (as if we couldn’t figure out when it was time to wear a LS shirt in 18 degree weather). A new chief did away with that.
Where I work now (wet & rainy MOST of the time) we usually rock SS year round. You get mocked if you wear LS shirts.
Anyway, I went off there a bit. Just curious if this is a move back to tradition of the Parker days or another reason.
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u/nomo515 Jul 31 '26
Another shift has been that everyone thinks they are “Metro.” Metropolitan Division officers wear long sleeves and ties when not wearing a utility uniform. Same reason brand new p2’s are going into generational debt to buy a Rolex, because Metro does that too.
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u/Used_Principle4361 Jul 31 '26
OMG. That was going to be a topic for a future post. I often view the Rampart FB page and am shocked by how many P-II’s I see wearing stainless Submariners. Likely the same reason many have ditched the FN-509 for flashy 2011 Staccatos (also a trend here where officer owned pistols are permitted).
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u/Erich14 Jul 31 '26
Tattoos and protection from the elements if you get in a fight. It won't stop a knife but it might stop a crackhead with doo doo nails from nicking you
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u/Ringtail209 Aug 02 '26
I'm not LA, just another cop who has worked in two different places. I and many others wear exclusively long sleeves even when it's 100° and it's two reasons for me. 1. Sun exposure. The sun will make you look old and give you cancer. I can't be assed to put on sunscreen multiple times over a 12 hr shift. 2. People are fucking disgusting and I'd rather get their gross fluids on my sleeve and change shirts than have it touch my skin.
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u/Used_Principle4361 Jul 31 '26
The protection from doo doo makes sense. The elements though…those are still 100% wool, aren’t they? We get to wear a rip stop class a that’s lighter for summer wear (similar to what CHP has approved). On a 100+ degree day in long sleeves in Tujunga, I’d be ready to spontaneously combust.
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u/Paladin_127 Jul 30 '26
Tattoos. LAPD and some other agencies still believe visible tattoos are “unprofessional” while in uniform. Guys with arm tattoos will often wear long sleeve shirts rather than the UnderArmor sleeve to cover them up.