The Dallas Police Department is using a popular Texas accessory to attract new officers to the force.
In a social media post published Friday, the department touted a new policy that allows officers to sport cowboy hats while on duty. The hat might stand out in other locations, but in Texas, the headwear is practically de rigueur.
"Something new is landing at the Dallas Police Department," the department stated in the post, which included photos of officers. "Our officers are now approved to wear cowboy hats on duty!"
The post ended with information for those interested in joining the department. It's unclear what if any requirements officers' cowboy hats must adhere to in order to be worn on duty.
Dallas is part of a trend in the state of law enforcement agencies letter their officers to wearing cowboy hats on the job. In 2017, the Alvarado and Fort Worth police began allowing the hats to be worn on the job, and New Braunfels police were able to start donning the accessory in 2023, the Houston Chronicle reports.
Cowboy hats are nothing new for the state's sheriffs and deputies, who have been wearing them for some time. But the state's most famous cowboy hats probably belong to the members of the Texas Department of Public Safety, which includes the Texas Highway Patrol and the Texas Rangers, the Chronicle adds.
