Police Officers love their sunglasses like criminals love an unlocked door. That’s because sunglasses help protect their eyes from the harsh glare of the sun on the pavement, something every police officer has to deal with every day.
But sunglasses have grown more sophisticated over the years. Some brands, such as Oakley, have come up with lenses that actually enhance an officer’s ability to block out distractions such as colors, in order to help define a target. Many of these tactical sunglasses are made of polycarbonate, which makes them shatter resistant. Most now block 100% of the UVA and UVB rays that harm the eyes.These applications point out an important fact of the job; a police officer heavily relies on his or her eyes in order to protect and serve. Sunglasses do a nice job of protecting the eyes from flying glass, liquids, or the sun.
But there’s also the undeniable cool factor that comes with a good pair of shades. This look has been popularized in movies for years, which may be originally what started the trend.
Cops need to look tough in order to pull off the job safely. But they also need to protect their eyes from the harsh glare of the sun, whether they’re sitting in a beat car or on a motorcycle.
Either way, cops, and sunglasses go together like coffee and donuts.
Let’s look at some of the best places for law enforcement to buy sunglasses. Turns out there are plenty of online options for both professional tactical gear along with some of the most badass sunglasses available for both cops and civilians. This article reviews a mix of both — and gives some tips on where to find the best promo codes to save a little bit of green.
Cop Gear 2018 – Sunglasses
For the top of the line tactical gear, let’s start with GOVX. (No, we’re not yelling, that’s really the brand name.) This site is member-only for active duty or retired military, first responders, law enforcement or other government agencies. In fact, visitors must register to even access the site. This members-only community partner works with some of the big-name manufacturers to reduce the price on sunglasses that are made with materials like aircraft aluminum. Some of the brands featured include Vortex, Oakley, Under Armour, Burris Optics and NoBull.
There’s also AFEyewear.com that seems to straddle the line between sunglasses just for law enforcement and for civvies that want to look like cops. Like GOVX, AFEyewear offers discounts to active duty and retired military and first responders. Their eyewear boasts up to a 50% discount off public pricing if the visitor logs in here. Reviewers give this site consistently high marks, and they also offer exams in addition to just selling frames. They even offer sunglasses specifically for cops and firefighters. AFEyewear.com also offers one of the biggest brand selections, with more than 50 choices, from Adidas to Zoobug.
Optics Planet has an entire page to sunglasses popularized by police officers. These are suitable for cops but also for civilians that want to look as cool as Baker and Poncherello in the 1970s TV series CHiPs.
Most of the Optics Planet line lacks the more hardcore element; their catalog lacks the safety features of the sunglasses tactical lines. But who can argue with the cool factor found in Wiley X, Bobster, and Serengeti?
Like AFEyewear.com there are dozens of choices for the discerning cop wanna-be, or real police officer.
Before selecting a brand, we do recommend doing a search here for promo codes, especially since Optics Planet does not seem to offer the same kind of discounts the more military-centric sites offer. They do, however, offer free shipping.
Then there’s Sunglass Hut. This retailer has been around for years offering an unparalleled selection of the best lenses for a fair price.
The visitor to this site will find some of the same retro-classic styles for the cop look, such as Ray-Ban aviators.
There are also some stylish polarized Oakley’s that will certainly channel some cop attitude in even the most weakling civilian.
Women will like the Armani Exchange line, with their no-nonsense polycarb.
There’s also a slick Dolce & Gabbana for $320 that offer the ultimate classic cop face.
Worried about the price tag? Don’t. Just go here for a promo code to take $75 off orders over $300.
Just for fun, there is also an entire Police line of sunglasses, although some of them may look a little too friendly for the discerning cop. SmartBuyGlasses features the line for women, men, and children. The prices at this site are excellent, which means visitors will stretch their budget considerably. With that said, these appear to be slightly lower end glasses which may not be appropriate for real cop gear. The good news for the budget-conscious is that signing up for the SmartBuyGlasses newsletter will net them a code for 50% off their first pair. When a pair of Oakley sunglasses is currently going for $174 on sale, this is another nice discount for a slick set of name-brand road specs. The site also does a nice job of allowing the visitor to customize the frames and lenses.
Sunglasses for a Cool Tactical Advantage
Sunglasses provide the police with all-important eye protection to help with glare when driving. They help reduce reflection and help the officer see more clearly even in full sun. But sunglasses also give the police a tactical edge in the psychology of behavior and human interaction. The person on the other side of the sunglasses may feel more intimidated because they cannot gauge the officer’s intent by looking into their eyes. This helps the police gain an advantage in a threatening or dangerous situation.
With that said, every cool movie character always wear shades. Sunglasses are as much a part of the cop uniform as the badge they wear. They also serve an important safety feature, potentially protecting the eyes from breaking glass, liquids, and, of course, UV rays. PoliceMag.com calls them, “body armor for the eyes.”
Whether a shopper is looking for strong yet lightweight eye protection or just wants to mimic the cop-cool look from television, these retailers have a wide variety of styles and name brands to suit the goals of the most discerning shopper.
