The Wichita Police Department will be providing officers with new blue uniforms. The new look was unveiled Thursday morning.
Wichita Police officers have worn tan uniforms for more than 90 years. Now, they’ll be wearing navy blue.
Capt. Brian White said at the announcement that they’re making the switch to give officers better options with fit and function.
"There are different pocket configurations, there are different openings within the uniform to run some of the wiring with our body-worn cameras and there’s also different fit options for female officers," White said. "Some of those pants are built differently from different companies."
White said they plan to keep a shoulder patch from the current uniform for historical value.
The new uniforms -- provided by two different companies -- will be phased in over the next two years. The department employs more than 800 people.
Wichita Police spent the past year reviewing the current uniform and researching new uniform options. Some patrol officers tried out new designs while working their beats.
White said they’ve had complaints about the uniforms over the years, and the uniforms also vary in color and style.
"The new uniforms are a better fit for the officers, better fabric options for the officers and a better price for the department as a whole," White said.
There will be several styles of the new uniforms, such as long-sleeve or short-sleeve, and White said that because the uniforms are all blue, the department will now have a standardized look.
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