Uniforms say volunteers are part of the team

Deepa Bharath

Two volunteers for the Police Department resigned last week because

they did not want to wear uniforms, officials said.

Costa Mesa Police Chief John Hensley last week made it mandatory

for all volunteers to wear the light blue uniforms. The chief said he

laid down the rule to make things consistent for all volunteers and

to enforce security measures in the building.

“The uniform is easily recognizable,” Hensley said. “It tells

people that they are a part of this department.”

It’s also good from a customer service point of view, he said.

“When people come to the front desk with questions, they can

recognize the people who work here,” Hensley said. “And then, who’s

the fashion police? Who is to tell people what’s inappropriate to

wear inside the police department?”

About three-fourths of the 35 volunteers have been in uniforms

provided to them by the city, Costa Mesa Police Lt. John FitzPatrick

said.

“All volunteers, who work in the Westside substation or drive

around the city, have always worn uniforms,” he said. “Only a few

volunteers, who work inside the building doing clerical work, have

been wearing civilian clothes. It’s those volunteers who were asked

to switch uniforms.”

Olive Maxwell, one of the volunteers who resigned last week, spoke

at the last City Council meeting, saying that she believes asking

volunteers to wear uniforms is a waste of taxpayer money because the

city pays for them. Neither she nor Stan Brown, who also resigned,

declined to comment on Wednesday.

Hensley said he does not believe the purpose of the volunteer

program is to save the city some money.

“Our goal is to strengthen our relationship with the community

through the [volunteer] program,” he said. “The money for the

uniforms is not much, and it’s been provided for in our budget.”

Uniforms -- complete with a shirt, pants and a badge -- cost about

$100 per person, Hensley said.

Fred Gaeckler, a longtime volunteer who coordinates activities at

the Westside substation, said he doesn’t understand why some people

don’t like the uniforms.

“I’m very proud to wear mine,” he said. “It gives me the feeling

that I’m one of the guys.”

Bobbie Hedrick, who works in the Traffic Department, said she

didn’t like the uniforms initially.

“Now I like it,” she said. “It’s not a bad-looking uniform, and it

makes me feel like I’m part of the department.

“And,” she added with a laugh, “I don’t have to wonder what to

wear every morning.”

Thirteen-year volunteer Joann Taylor said, given a choice, she

still wouldn’t want to wear the uniform.

“I have to change every time,” she said. “It’s an added extra that

I could do without. But I didn’t have the choice not to wear it. So I

wear it.”

Almost all police departments require their volunteers to wear

uniforms, Hensley said.

“I don’t want to lose anybody,” he said. “Volunteers are very

important to our department. But how we look and act also says a lot

about us.”