Police officers to sport new uniforms offering greater comfort from 16 April

Look closely the next time you pass a police officer: come next Monday (16 April), all Singapore Police Force (SPF) frontline officers, including national servicemen, will sport new uniforms in the first such major redesign in 33 years.

The uniforms – designed in collaboration with Ministry of Home Affairs’ Science and Technology outfit Office of the Chief Science and Technology Officer (OCSTO) – are made of 98 per cent polyester and two per cent spandex to allow for more effective moisture absorption, quicker drying and increased stretchability.

In the last major update in 1985, the uniforms were remade with 100 per cent polyester, compared with 25 per cent cotton and 75 per cent polyester.

“The changes to the uniforms will enable our officers to operate more effectively and comfortably in local humidity,” said a police spokesperson.

Other changes include the word “police” prominently embroidered above the officer’s name tag, and the replacement of metallic buttons with concealed plastic buttons.

The latter is aimed at “significantly” enhancing the officers’ comfort level and ease of wearing body vests – such as ballistic resistant ones – over their uniforms.

Riveted buttons on the shoulders will allow officers to affix a bodycam or a palm microphone.

The old uniforms will most likely be collected and recycled, said the spokesperson.

The prototype of the new uniforms was first tested in 2013 by eight officers conducting light duties such as patrolling on foot and in patrol cars. Their body temperatures while wearing the uniforms were collected and analysed.

“The challenges were to identify the design issues. We wanted to refine it further (then),” said Dr Saravana Kumar, Senior Assistant Director, Human Factors, OCSTO, MHA.

“The officers felt the (prototype) pants were warmer and of thicker construction,” he added. “The knee pads impeded the movement of the officers… (and) having the front pockets impeded heat dissipation, so we decided to do away with (both).”

The refined uniforms were again tested in 2015 by 54 police officers at the Ang Mo Kio North NPC, and further feedback was collected via feedback sessions and a questionnaire on police duty.

“As with all new changes, there will be some teething issues. We are committed, come 16 April, all frontline officers will be wearing the new uniforms,” said the spokesperson.

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