The Pensacola Police Historic Society

Popularly known in the United States as “Bobby Hats,” a custodian helmet is traditionally associated with the London Metropolitan Police. Indeed, the Metropolitan police have been wearing them since 1863.

Where did they come from? When the London Police were first formed by Sir Robert Peel in 1829, they were issued tall stovepipe “Abraham Lincoln” hats. After a few years, these hats proved terribly impractical. First, they didn’t fare well when chasing bad guys. Second, officers would often cut holes in the top for ventilation during hot months.

Different ideas were introduced to get away from the stovepipe hats. One of the ideas was a variation of the “Pickelhaube” helmet worn by the Prussian Army. That one stuck. However, wearing a heavy war helmet all day every day was too much, so the hats soon began to be made from cork, giving the nickname “woodentops” to the officers. Also, ventilation holes in the top were covered by some type of ornamental design.

In 1863, the Met changed over to the first custodian helmets, which were very similar to the ones seen today. The badge on the front, known as the “Helmet Plate,” is unique to each department.

In 1821, the Pensacola Police Department was formed. Governor Andrew Jackson appointed James Craig as the first constable on July 19, 1821. However, he was not issued a uniform. This practice continued until after the Civil War. In 1884, uniforms were donned by the police force. Immediately, the attitude of the officers and the respect of the community got better.

Are they cooler? No! They are stifling!

Do they protect the head better? When I first saw some of the variations, I thought, “Maybe the hard helmet was to keep the head from injury. But why are they so high? When I first saw the Prussian Pickelhaube, it had a spike on the top. “Wow,” I thought, “Maybe that was used for a weapon.” No, it was just a cool look for a macho man. Nothing practical about it.  

What is the practical reason for using them? When choosing a uniform, the city fathers simply chose a typical city policeman’s uniform, which was fashioned after the London Metropolitan Police. Were they more practical? No, but they were “Police-looking.” In other words, they were en-vogue!

You gotta admit, they still look good! Good job, Metro Police!