Cops in caps: Aussie-style baseball caps on trial, but don't wear them backwards, police told

Cops in five districts are trialling the new baseball-style caps. Photo / Police News

Police this month are trialling baseball caps but with one clear rule - no wearing the new headgear backwards.

The trial will run in five districts, according to the police union's magazine Police News.

The caps are reportedly the brainchild of Senior Constable Mark "Chook" Taylor from Northland, who suggested the cap complement existing headgear options.

Some specialist cops including the Commercial Vehicle Safety Team already wear caps, as do police in Australia and some other Commonwealth jurisdictions.

New South Wales police and cops in some other Commonwealth jurisdictions already wear baseball-style caps. Photo / Jack London/Creative Commons

Police News said previous requests to police bosses were rejected on the grounds baseball-style caps were too casual.

"That sort of edict from the top brass does not wash with those at the coalface," the Police Association magazine added.

Currently most police wore the more formal "forage caps" but these were easily knocked or blown off, and officers had to remove them before entering patrol cars, Police News added.

Four styles of caps will be delivered to Northland, Auckland City, Wellington, Tasman, and the Southern police districts.

Those trialling the caps reportedly have to follow guidelines. Unfortunately for some, those guidelines reportedly include not wearing caps with the peak facing backwards.