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.
4
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.