Police in Springfield Mass get black uniforms to "instill fear"

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Police in Springfield Mass get black uniforms to "instill fear" (Page 1 of 2)

Posted: 4/25/2008 2:32:14 PM EDT

It's JBT Friday!!!

Massachusetts Police Get Black Uniforms to Instill Sense of 'Fear'
Thursday, April 24, 2008

E-Mail Print Share:
DiggFacebookStumbleUpon
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Springfield's men in black are returning.

The city's new police commissioner, William Fitchet, says members of the department's Street Crime Unit will again don black, military-style uniforms as part of his strategy to deal with youth violence.

Fitchet's predecessor, Edward Flynn, had ditched the black attire as part of an effort to soften the image of the unit. Flynn left Springfield in January to become the police chief in Milwaukee.

Sgt. John Delaney told a city council hearing Wednesday that the stark uniforms send a message to criminals that officers are serious about making arrests.

Delaney said a sense of "fear" has been missing for the past few years.

Posted: 4/25/2008 2:34:19 PM EDT

[#1]

Blue helmets though right?

Posted: 4/25/2008 2:34:38 PM EDT

[#2]

Quoted:
It's JBT Friday!!!

Poor cops, this site is merciless

Posted: 4/25/2008 2:35:14 PM EDT

[#3]

I predict this thread will end well.

Posted: 4/25/2008 2:35:29 PM EDT

[#4]

pics of this said uniform ?

Posted: 4/25/2008 2:36:40 PM EDT

[#5]

So what. Many depts. have officers that wear black BDUs as a duty uniform.

Posted: 4/25/2008 2:36:53 PM EDT

[#6]

It's better than pastels.

Posted: 4/25/2008 2:36:57 PM EDT

[#7]

Quoted:
pics of this said uniform ?

Posted: 4/25/2008 2:37:13 PM EDT

[#8]

Quoted:

Flynn left Springfield in January to become the police chief in Milwaukee.

I was wondering why I kept seeing local cops riding around on bicycles all of a sudden.

Posted: 4/25/2008 2:37:25 PM EDT

[#9]

Voter initiative time. Make em wear pink.

Posted: 4/25/2008 2:38:04 PM EDT

[#10]

My Dept has black uniforms, what's the big deal?

Posted: 4/25/2008 2:38:13 PM EDT

[#11]

I've always thought the NYS troopers looked itimidating

Posted: 4/25/2008 2:39:04 PM EDT

[#12]

in early on this one...

Posted: 4/25/2008 2:39:13 PM EDT

[#13]

Quoted:
pics of this said uniform ?

Something like this?

Posted: 4/25/2008 2:40:46 PM EDT

[#14]

in on page one and before the "police need to wear pastels and earth tones"

Posted: 4/25/2008 2:42:45 PM EDT

[#15]

Quoted:
My Dept has black uniforms, what's the big deal?

There is nothing wrong with a black police uniform.

The problem is picking black uniforms for the purposes of intimidating people.

I don't really mind them doing it to intimidate criminals, but I would sure have a problem if they were looking to intimidate everyone.

Posted: 4/25/2008 2:44:22 PM EDT

[#16]

Quoted:
www.oswego.edu/administration/police/images/Copy%20of%20poster2.jpeg
I've always thought the NYS troopers looked itimidating

The first picture you had up looked more intimidating to me

Posted: 4/25/2008 2:47:18 PM EDT

[#17]

Perhaps they might have achieved a similar desired effect by choosing dark navy blue without the negative connotations? It's just me but as a retired CLEO, I did consider such things when choosing uniform patterns.

Posted: 4/25/2008 2:47:30 PM EDT

[#18]

Posted: 4/25/2008 2:48:00 PM EDT

[#19]

Quoted:

Quoted:
www.oswego.edu/administration/police/images/Copy%20of%20poster2.jpeg
I've always thought the NYS troopers looked itimidating

The first picture you had up looked more intimidating to me

the chandeliers kinda ruined the intimidation factor

Posted: 4/25/2008 2:48:32 PM EDT

[#20]

Quoted:
Perhaps they might have achieved a similar desired effect by choosing dark navy blue without the negative connotations? It's just me but as a retired CLEO, I did consider such things when choosing uniform patterns.

I think this is more of a poor choice of wording than anything else.

Do we have before and after pics available?

Posted: 4/25/2008 2:49:42 PM EDT

[#21]

lolz

Posted: 4/25/2008 2:49:58 PM EDT

[#22]

I always thought the hat + weird mustache combo always made cops look kind of funny..

Posted: 4/25/2008 2:50:18 PM EDT

[#23]

Cities in Mass could use some scare tactics.

Besides--who has seen the old Mass Registry cop uniform---the definition of a JBT uniform.

Posted: 4/25/2008 2:50:38 PM EDT

[#24]

Quoted:
Perhaps they might have achieved a similar desired effect by choosing dark navy blue without the negative connotations? It's just me but as a retired CLEO, I did consider such things when choosing uniform patterns.

Maybe.

As a street crime unit, I'd assume that their contact is probably mostly limited to street criminals. I don't think that any of them are going to care about uniform color, but if black uniforms intimidate them, great. There shouldn't be any problems as long as their intimidation tactics are limited to being used against the appropriate people.

Posted: 4/25/2008 2:51:04 PM EDT

[#25]

Quoted:
I always thought the hat + weird mustache combo always made cops look kind of funny..

Like Village People. I KNOW!

Posted: 4/25/2008 2:51:36 PM EDT

[#26]

The biggest problem I have with police using commercial uniforms is now every person who can shop at an Army surplus store can get a Boston City police Uniform. That is not good considering there are many terrorist who would find it adventageous.

Posted: 4/25/2008 2:51:38 PM EDT

[#27]

Perhaps poor wording. I know I changed my guys to Navy year round instead of that ridiculous powder puff blue in summer. They moaned and complained about how hot they were gonna be with the AC blasting. About three weeks in, they noticed that they didn't get as apparently dirty and didn't have to change shirts twice a shift if they got into something.

It seems that the new chief actually knew what he was talking about.

Posted: 4/25/2008 2:51:45 PM EDT

[#28]

the cops weren't serious before

Posted: 4/25/2008 2:51:56 PM EDT

[#29]

Posted: 4/25/2008 2:53:41 PM EDT

[#30]

Quoted:
Voter initiative time. Make em wear pink.

Great idea.

Now that will scare the heck out of the bad guys because they will know in advance that the cops are really pissed because they have to wear pink uniforms.

Posted: 4/25/2008 2:55:30 PM EDT

[#31]

Why attempt to earn respect when fear is so easy...

Posted: 4/25/2008 2:55:36 PM EDT

[#32]

Posted: 4/25/2008 2:56:03 PM EDT

[#33]

Quoted:
Perhaps poor wording. I know I changed my guys to Navy year round instead of that ridiculous powder puff blue in summer. They moaned and complained about how hot they were gonna be with the AC blasting. About three weeks in, they noticed that they didn't get as apparently dirty and didn't have to change shirts twice a shift if they got into something.

It seems that the new chief actually knew what he was talking about.

I was able to get the Chief to let us night shift guys go to the cargo pants style, cotton shirts, he didn't like it at first. I left the departmet came back five years later, they have wear polo shirts now.

Posted: 4/25/2008 2:56:20 PM EDT

[#34]

Quoted:

Quoted:
pics of this said uniform ?

Something like this? www.totls.com/ASS-RFSS-TUNIC-FRONT.jpg

I knew that was coming.

Posted: 4/25/2008 2:57:53 PM EDT

[#35]

Quoted:

Quoted:
pics of this said uniform ?

Something like this? www.totls.com/ASS-RFSS-TUNIC-FRONT.jpg

I knew that was coming.

Frankly the Dep't asked for it, especially wording it how they did

Posted: 4/25/2008 2:58:11 PM EDT

[#36]

Quoted:
It's JBT Friday!!!

Massachusetts Police Get Black Uniforms to Instill Sense of 'Fear'
Thursday, April 24, 2008

E-Mail Print Share:
DiggFacebookStumbleUpon
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Springfield's men in black are returning.

The city's new police commissioner, William Fitchet, says members of the department's Street Crime Unit will again don black, military-style uniforms as part of his strategy to deal with youth violence.

Fitchet's predecessor, Edward Flynn, had ditched the black attire as part of an effort to soften the image of the unit. Flynn left Springfield in January to become the police chief in Milwaukee.

Sgt. John Delaney told a city council hearing Wednesday that the stark uniforms send a message to criminals that officers are serious about making arrests.

Delaney said a sense of "fear" has been missing for the past few years.

IBTCHS...

PS - That's why I want to put Batman ears on my helmet...(J/K)

FlDiveCop71

Posted: 4/25/2008 2:59:34 PM EDT

[#37]

Quoted:

Quoted:

Flynn left Springfield in January to become the police chief in Milwaukee.

I was wondering why I kept seeing local cops riding around on bicycles all of a sudden.

So, what minority-of-the-week is Flynn?

I mean, we did the hispanic, the black (who was a POS - Artie Jones), and the woman (Haggerty - lasted what, a year? Two?)...

What's left...

(For non Milwaukee area residents, MILW has a habit of chosing it's police chiefs based solely on minority status (eg what 'special' group hasn't held the post yet) not actual competance)....

Posted: 4/25/2008 3:00:31 PM EDT

[#38]

Quoted:

Why attempt to earn respect when fear is so easy...

Because as they set up more drivers license check points (against the will of the people)
Backscatter scanners (against the will of the people)
Real ID (against the will of the people)

Respect is unnecessary but fear is a must.

Posted: 4/25/2008 3:04:36 PM EDT

[#39]

Quoted:
www.oswego.edu/administration/police/images/Copy%20of%20poster2.jpeg
I've always thought the NYS troopers looked itimidating

Its the hat, they wear it like a DI. Pretty friendly people, I would rather deal with NYSPD than any city cops or sheriff's deputies.

Posted: 4/25/2008 3:08:05 PM EDT

[#40]

how about the NJSP

Posted: 4/25/2008 3:09:48 PM EDT

[#41]

I don't get it.

How does an obviously morbidly obese jelly roll, way-past-their-years physical wreck with poor discipline and a bad attitude look more "fearful" in black than in some other more "friendly" color?

Is it the way they part their hair...?

Oops...

Crew cuts...

Hmm, I still don't get it...

CPO SWCC US Navy (Retired)

Posted: 4/25/2008 3:10:39 PM EDT

[#42]

If they REALLY wanted to instill fear then they would make the cops wear werewolf costumes.

Posted: 4/25/2008 3:15:52 PM EDT

[#43]

Quoted:
nucps.northwestern.edu/alumni/alumpics/tombells.jpg
people.zeelandnet.nl/tberry/uniforms/njsp.jpg
how about the NJSP

+1. You beat me to it. I always thought the NJSP uniform looked pretty close to the Waffen/SS uniform. My former department wore the LASO khaki shirt with Marine Corps green pants.
Flyingrhino

Posted: 4/25/2008 3:17:22 PM EDT

[#44]

Cops wearing BDUs, it looks so unprofessional...Thats just my opinion...Slacks with polished shoes and a nice shirt looks better...

Posted: 4/25/2008 3:17:57 PM EDT

[#45]

Quoted:
It's better than pastels.

Not if your a cop in San Francisco.

Roy

Posted: 4/25/2008 3:18:09 PM EDT

[#46]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Perhaps they might have achieved a similar desired effect by choosing dark navy blue without the negative connotations? It's just me but as a retired CLEO, I did consider such things when choosing uniform patterns.

I think this is more of a poor choice of wording than anything else.

Do we have before and after pics available?

BEFORE:

AFTER

Posted: 4/25/2008 3:20:47 PM EDT

[#47]

Quoted:
It's better than pastels.

I was thinking more along the lines of periwinkle blue paisley!

Isn't that just lovely?
Its such a fresh, spring, happy color, and the pattern just sets it off!

Posted: 4/25/2008 3:21:47 PM EDT

[#48]

Achtung, Bitte!

Ihre Papieren!

Posted: 4/25/2008 3:21:50 PM EDT

[#49]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Perhaps they might have achieved a similar desired effect by choosing dark navy blue without the negative connotations? It's just me but as a retired CLEO, I did consider such things when choosing uniform patterns.

I think this is more of a poor choice of wording than anything else.

Do we have before and after pics available?

BEFORE:
img170.imageshack.us/img170/1237/20060226barneyxh7.jpg

AFTER
img88.imageshack.us/img88/1770/eeis02img0477sd9.jpg

I think several of the uniforms posted that certain posters like look more like the last pic.