Daijiworld Media Network – Bengaluru

Bengaluru, Oct 25: In a major uniform overhaul, the Karnataka state police department will replace the traditional slouch hats with navy blue peak caps (P-CAP) for all constables and head constables, effective October 28.

The peak cap distribution programme will be held at Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru, in the presence of chief minister Siddaramaiah and home minister Dr G Parameshwara.

DG & IGP M A Saleem issued a circular on Thursday directing all police commissionerates and district units to nominate one police constable (PC) or head constable (HC) each to attend the ceremony. “The navy blue peak caps will modernise our uniform and provide greater comfort for personnel on duty,” Saleem noted in the circular.

The government had initially issued orders on August 6 to replace the slouch hats, which have been part of the constabulary uniform since the British era. Many officers have long found the slouch hats outdated and uncomfortable, prompting the change.

At the recent Senior Police Officers’ Annual Conference, the state police had proposed green berets for constables. However, chief minister Siddaramaiah remarked that green berets resembled those worn by Home Guards and members of Scouts and Guides, and suggested adopting navy blue peak caps instead.

The new design is modelled on the Telangana police cap and was selected after reviewing cap styles across several states, including Maharashtra, Delhi, Goa and Tamil Nadu. Officers and officials have welcomed the change, seeing it as a long-overdue step to modernise police attire while maintaining a professional appearance.