An operational hijab introduced by New Zealand Police to encourage more Muslim women to join is being trialed in England for the first time.
The head covering, which can be worn with police headgear and equipment, was created after 16 months of research.
It also has safety features such as magnetic fastenings which release easily if grabbed.
The hijab is being used by one Leicestershire Police student officer but it could be rolled out further.
Leicestershire Police said it was the first force in the country to trial the New Zealand model.
However, it is not the first to introduce a hijab, with the Metropolitan Police, North Yorkshire Police and Police Scotland previously using ones of different design.
The New Zealand version is made of sports fabric, which allows freedom of movement but is light, robust and breathable, Leicestershire Police said.
The force added it had trialed a number of hijabs before, but none were successful.
Yusuf Nagdi, from the National Association of Muslim Police, said: “We have a really diverse community in Leicestershire and we want to truly reflect the community that we serve.
“One of the barriers amongst the Muslim community and females in particular has been the hijab, so this gives us the best of both worlds.
“We know there are a number of individuals who want to join the police but they don’t want to compromise their faith.”
