(WWJ) - When it comes to which state police agency is serving and protecting in style, Michigan's troopers are among the best dressed after their uniforms earned a spot as one of sexiest nationwide in a recent ranking.
The ranking, as conducted by Wealth of Geeks, was voted on by 3,000 Americans who recognized Michigan State Police's uniform as the 17th most attractive out of 50 after comparing each state police outfits for style and substance.
"Envision shirts in a striking navy blue, as vibrant as Lake Superior on a sunny day," the good people at Wealth of Geeks wrote. "The trousers are both a practical yet stylish navy. The ensemble is brought together with the campaign hat - the pièce de résistance - tilted with the flair of a Motown legend."
MSP Second District's First Lt. Mike Shaw said they'll take the #17 spot, but strongly argued MSP's uniforms are the best.
"We had just come off of the campaign that we actually won the 'Best Dressed' state police agency in the country, so 17 — that's OK, but at one time we were number one," Shaw said.
While the Texas Department of Public Safety was voted the No. 1 "sexiest" in the U.S. with their dark tan uniforms, known affectionately by troopers as "Texas Tan," and cowboy hats, Shaw said the MSP uniforms are just as —if not more — distinctive.
"We're definitely a little bit different from the trend that is going on now with the softball hats and no ties and fatigues and things like that," he continued. "I've always been extremely proud of our uniform. Coming from a military background, I know how important that is and I think even the citizens of the State of Michigan are pretty quick to point out our uniforms and our patrol cars, especially, when they travel."
Shaw said the uniform color varied slightly over the years as different manufacturers made them, but the current blue had been around since he donned the uniform. The hue is so well liked that MSP patrol cars were painted the same blue to not only stand out more, but to also match the troopers behind the wheel.
MSP takes the utmost care and respect for their uniforms. The outfits are provided to each trooper by the department so state police aren't paying out of their own pockets for one, Shaw added.
"If you get a little hole or something gets worn, it gets replaced immediately which makes our uniforms look a lot better than some of the other departments out there," Shaw explained.
The Ohio State Highway Patrol, Michigan's rivals down south, ranked two spots higher, which Shaw humorously commented: "I think they probably stuffed the ballot somehow like they do every year when it comes to the best looking patrol car."
"We all know that the Michigan State Police uniform is always better, always going to be anything better than what comes out of Ohio," he laughed.
The Top 20 rankings are as follows:
1. Texas
2. New Hampshire
3. Missouri
4. New Jersey
5. Arizona
6. Colorado
7. Washington
8. Florida
9. Hawai'i
10. Indiana
11. Connecticut
12. Arkansas
13. Ohio
14. North Carolina
15. Kansas
16. Pennsylvania
17. Michigan
18. Illinois
19. California
20. Kentucky
“In the end, it's not just about the uniforms but the people who wear them with honor and style. As one survey respondent aptly put it, 'These uniforms are more than fabric and threads; they're the embodiment of the states they represent and the officers who wear them with pride.' With this lineup of state police uniforms, it's clear that America's law enforcement officers are winning in the style stakes too,” Michael Dinich from Wealth of Geeks said.
Shaw agreed, adding "usually we don't get the word 'sexy.' [It] isn't talked about with law enforcement recently, but hey, we'll take it, you know 17 is better than 50 and naturally, if you ask any Michigander they would naturally say that our uniform's number one."