Endpiece
| Date | 01 December 1996 |
| Published date | 01 December 1996 |
| DOI | 10.1177/026455059604300425 |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
243
ENDPIECE
Dressing
Down
In
the
light
of
calls
for
a
Dress
Code
for
Teachers,
to
’root
out
scruffs’
and
to
require
professionals
to
’dress
like
professionals’
if
they
want
to
gain
respect,
Jeremy
Cameron
reports
a
Probation
Disciplinary
Hearing,
sometime
in
the
near
future.
ACPO:
Now
Mr
Throwback,
this
is
an
investigatory
hearing
under
the
Area’s
Sartorial
Disciplinary
Procedures.
My
name
is
Andrew
Compliance,
I’m
the
ACPO,
as
you
can
see
from
my
rather
smart
badge.
This
is
Julie
Resources,
our
Human
Management
Manager,
and
the
person
in
the
twinset
is
taking
notes;
I
forget
her
name.
Is
that
clear?
Union
Rep:
I
am
Leon
NAPO,
Mr
Throwback’s
union
representative.
Mr
Throwback
reserves
his
defence.
ACPO:
Hrmph.
Now
Mr
Throwback
it
has
been
alleged
against
you
that
on
Monday
4th
November
you
were
seen
wearing
a
jean.
(Resources
whispers
to
him.)
ACPO:
In
fact
I
understand
there
were
two
of
them,
you
were
seen
wearing
jeans.
These
jeans
comprise
one
garment
made
of
denim,
worn
in
general
below
the
waist.
What
do
you
have
to
say
to
that?
(Throwback
removes
dark
glasses.
Gazes
slowly
at
ACPO.
Replaces
dark
glasses.)
NAPO:
Who
made
this
allegation?
At
what
time of
day
was
it?
Where
is
it
alleged
to
have
taken
place?
Was
it
in
a
Probation
area?
Was
it
in
prohibited
terms
under
the
Act?
ACPO:
There
is
a
further
charge
against
you.
(Anticipatory
silence.)
Resources:
That
you
were
envisaged
wearing
pink.
(Pause. )
NAPO:
Envisaged?
Resources:
You
were
envisaged
wearing
pink
connotations
in
the
Probation
precincts.
(There
is
a
short
silence
in
which
the
ACPO
takes
time
to
toy
with
his
handcuffs.
Throwback
removes
trilby.
Stares
lovingly
out
of
window
at
client
removing
stereo
from
BMW.)
Throwback:
Safe,
man.
NAPO:
As
my
client
points
out,
this
is
clearly
a
health
and
safety
issue.
ACPO:
I
would
like
to
substantiate
the
facts
and
then
I
shall
proceed
to
destroy
any
claims
of
mitigation
you
may
make.
Where
was
your
breaching
suit
at
the
time
in
question?
Do
you
possess
a
necktie?
(Throwback
regards
him
with
affection.
Removes
sandal.
Long
pause.)
Throwback:
Really
cool,
you
know.
NAPO:
I must
point
out
at
this
stage
the
recent
European
ruling
that
the
contents
of
a
person’s
wardrobe
are
entirely
a
matter
of
individual
concern.
Resources:
Your
informer
has
pointed
out
that
on
Monday
4th
November,
after
you
had
consummated
your
lunch,
you
were
to
be
seen
tieless.
Furthermore,
you
are
fully
aware
of
course
that
the
colour
pink
has
associates
which
are
not
in
harmony
with
the
Probation
Service’s
aims
and
targets.
(Throwback
removes
bandanna.)
Throwback:
Say
how?
Resources:
There
are
well
established
links
between
the
colour
pink
and
the
Liberal
and
Democratic
Party.
The
Probation
Service
does
not
participate
in
either
of
these
propensities.
(Throwback
regards
the
sky.)
Throwback:
I
can
see
clearly
now
the
rain
has
gone.
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