Again, I have observed a recent high number of internet searches ending up on this blog or my website from people entering questions like, “can I wear a uniform in public?” or “how to wear a CHP uniform” or just plain “CHP uniform rules”. This is the third (and last, for the moment) in my series on the “rules” regarding fetish wear.

Rules for Wearing a Uniform

This applies to wearing a uniform by someone who is not an authorized representative (such as by being employed by a law enforcement agency) to wear such a uniform. Some people choose to wear a uniform to fetish events and parties. There remain many questions about impersonation and the legality of wearing a uniform. I cover those questions in much more detail in this blog post about assembling a uniform. Here is a summary of the main points:

1. It is possible, and legal, to put together a replica uniform yourself, as long as you do not wear it anywhere within the jurisdiction it represents. For example, you should not wear a California Highway Patrol uniform anywhere with in the State of California, USA. That’s illegal. Even if the uniform is completely fake, such as one made of all leather. But you can wear it outside of California.

2. By all means, make sure the uniform is clean and pressed, and if worn with boots, the boots are shined. Think about the fine details, such as if the name plate is on the correct side, pins and buttons are in the right places, etc. Try not to overdo the bells and whistles, especially on a duty belt.

3. Do NOT wear a weapon (gun, billy club, police baton.) In many jurisdictions in the United States, it is illegal to wear a weapon like this in public or at a public place like a leather bar. I know some guys who have been arrested for doing that. Do not take this risk!

4. Do not assume behavior while wearing a uniform that implies you are a cop. Impersonation is evaluated on two factors: how you look and what you do. If you try to act like a cop in public, such as by pulling someone over, frisking or handcuffing a “suspect,” interrogating someone, etc., then a real cop may think you are trying to impersonate an officer and take you in for questioning and possibly place you under arrest on criminal charges. Keep the cop-acting behavior behind closed doors.

5. Wear a plain jacket or coat over the uniform shirt so insignia is not visible while seated in a car, using public transit, or walking on the street.

6. Do not wear a full uniform while riding a motorcycle — even if the uniform you are wearing is not from the jurisdiction where you may choose to ride. Think about it: most car drivers only catch a glimpse of other vehicles and their drivers sharing the road with them. If they see something that appears to be a uniformed motor officer on a motorcycle, they will not look more closely to ask themselves, “is he a uniform fetish guy or a real cop?” Instead, they may think you are the real deal because (think about it) most straight people have no clue about the relatively small number of guys who have a uniform fetish. That’s where the line of impersonation gets very fuzzy. Real cops take an extremely dim view of guys who wear uniforms who are not real cops and there are examples of uniform fetish dudes being brought in for questioning, delayed, and even held in jail until things get sorted out. Don’t take that risk. It’s not worth it.

7. It takes some courage to wear a fetish uniform. Stand tall, walk confidently, and remember — nothing is more sexy than a guy in a uniform with a smile. The old sinister sneer drives people away (who would want to talk to someone who looks like he has indigestion?)

These are the “rules” in my opinion, from my experience, and from my perspective. Hope this is helpful to readers!