One more part of this is the original British Police. They had a requirement that any applicants be at least 5'9", and in order to cut an even more imposing fi

One more part of this is the original British Police. They had a requirement that any applicants be at least 5'9", and in order to cut an even more imposing figure, they wore tough Beaver Top Hats, which served a dual purpose: raising the height of any officer to at least 6 feet, and to protect their heads against blows from unhappy citizens. Police in the UK have worn some form of head protection ever since.