ORANGE : Police Authorized to Don Shorts on Job

Visitors to the city’s International Street Fair this Labor Day weekend can expect to see police officers wearing shorts on the job.

The City Council voted last week to approve a request from Police Chief John R. Robertson to allow the force the option of wearing dark blue Bermuda shorts in the summer months.

Robertson said he believes that police are more willing to leave their vehicles and mingle with the general public during the summer if they are wearing lighter and more comfortable clothing.

“When I was a patrol officer, I would try to get out of the car and talk to people but the polyester pants were hot and it wasn’t that comfortable,” Robertson said. “I am trying to encourage officers to leave their units, and shorts seemed like a natural thing.” Robertson said he believes that people find police less intimidating when they wear shorts as opposed to a full, formal, uniform.

“The shorts make them more approachable,” Robertson said. “People find the police less confrontational when they are wearing shorts.”

Robertson, former chief of the Garden Grove police force, began allowing officers in that city to wear a special summer uniform that included shorts about four years ago.

Police in Orange will be allowed to wear the more informal uniform from June through September.