Recent commentary from the President suggesting a “softer look” to the uniforms of police officers nationwide has sparked debate amongst officers and administrators alike in recent weeks. The comments draw wide-ranging criticism from law enforcement professionals. In fact, officer uniforms are slowly drifting towards the BDU (battle dress uniform) style, which allows ballistic vests to be worn as an external uniform article in some circumstances within certain departments and specialized units, where they were previously an “under the uniform shirt” item across the board.
The trend comes with real benefits. Departments have looked to the outer worn vest as a means to prevent officer fatigue and on-the-job injury. Hefty duty gear is disbursed evenly across the front, allowing for relief from duty belt items worn around the waist (and contributing to back issues).
While many agencies still wear the 100 percent polyester class B uniforms (the typical police uniform) some have adapted an external vest carrier that mirrors a uniform shirt. On first glance these can even be mistaken for a uniform shirt. This approach does not assist in repositioning uniform items, but does allow a more comfortable day for the officer. Other agencies have started either transitioning or giving officers in specialized units the ability to choose which style of uniform they’d like to wear. The standard class B uniform and the “BDU” style uniform previously worn by officers in units such as K9 and SWAT addressed their need for more agility at work, due to the nature of their assignment.
Any officer who spent a single shift in a class B uniform and had to chase an offender, gone hand to hand, or carried out any of the numerous tasks officers do during the course of a shift that requires more than the average amount of movement, can relate to the twinge of jealousy at seeing a K9 officer jump over fences and jog around with their dog without so much as having to re-tuck their shirt.
When BDUs first appeared on the market departments were reluctant to issue them to road patrol officers, as the appearance was considered more tactical in appearance. This meant a slow adaptation throughout policing. But in recent years the appearance of the BDU uniform has become more commonplace, and the adaptation of them into the day to day uniform attire has become more widely accepted across many departments.
The company 5.11 Tactical was an early producer of the BDU style uniform clothing for law enforcement, and still continues to refine, adapt, and innovate this type of uniform for the industry. As an early adopter of all things 5.11, one of the things I noticed in the early days of production was there was not a lot of give in a pair of generation one 5.11 pants, both in the waist line and when kneeling, leading to my very first pair actually splitting at the knee after many years of service.
But 5.11’s continual focus on product improvement addresses issues like colors staying bright and not fading over time (another issue I dealt with wearing a black BDU uniform in my time on the street). Their next release to the market addressed the weight of the uniform with the release of the Tactical Duty Uniform (TDU), which was also available in a lightweight version that worked well for officers in hotter climates and provided an alternative for those of us that wanted a heavier version in the cold northern winters and a lighter option for the stifling summers.
5.11’s latest product line, released at this year’s SHOT show, the Stryke Patrol Duty Uniform (PDU), offers even more to the end user than previous versions. “Industry needs and officer preferences have evolved to require a more lightweight—yet durable—uniform solution, able to provide freedom of movement while standing up to the toughest conditions,” says 5.11 Tactical CEO, Tom Davin. “Each component of the Next Level Uniform Collection has been crafted to meet those demands and improve the safety of our customers.” The Next Level Uniform is tailored to meet the needs of both law enforcement and tactical duty professionals. The Stryke PDU, TDU and Motor Pant all incorporate Flex-Tac fabric—which offers patent-pending features, such as mechanical stretch—to provide officers with freedom of movement.
Tru-Spec is another producer that has continued to advance the BDU uniform segment for law enforcement, making developments through their work supplying the Army Combat Uniform CU, which made the switch into law enforcement uniforms an easy transition. Tru-Spec’s offerings mirror many of the 5.11 offerings, but also have characteristics that make them unique. Offering a standard BDU as well as the Tactical Response Uniform (TRU) and TRU-Extreme ranges, Tru-Spec has continued to evolve their products to meet the demands that law enforcement places on their uniforms.
While the basic construction of a BDU style uniform is traditionally the same, the functionality is where the brands start to separate themselves. Tru-Spec tends to cater to the specialized unit market, also offering a high protective neck version of both the BDU and TRU range. They also look after our airborne brothers, offering flight suits made to the same rigorous standards set forward by the military that has become the accepted minimum for flight suit safety standards.
When asked about Tru-Spec’s newest products for the law enforcement market, Darrell Jacks, VP of Marketing says, “The TRU is the next generation of the BDU, providing a full featured uniform with multiple durability and performance enhancements. We’re proud to provide a functional, dependable uniform to get the job done.”
Tru-Spec’s range is also available in just about any camouflage combination, appearance and color to fit any urban environment law enforcement scenario operations could encounter. This suits SWAT teams that have a specific camouflage color or pattern requirement, or need a particular type of camouflage concealment option due to a varying urban operating environment.
Whichever type of BDU that you or your agency employ in the day to day operations of your department, the fact still remains that the practicality of a “tactical” style uniform for officers on the street is a sound one that has nothing to do with the alleged “militarized” appearance of today’s law enforcement officers, but everything to do with the practicality of the BDU style uniform offering more agility, comfort and overall usability than a traditional class B uniform.
From a quality standpoint, the replacement cost alone based on the longevity of the BDU style uniform is a win for agencies. While the 100 percent polyester uniforms are synonymous with law enforcement, their longevity does not equal that of the more hard-wearing and robust BDU uniform.
Sadly, the BDU uniform is at times earmarked as the quintessential “boogeyman” look of hardened and “militarized” police, when it was born purely out of necessity to improve an officer’s functionality on the street and to improve upon the framework set in place by the class B uniforms worn and sometimes loathed by officers nationwide.
Whatever your departmental choice in uniforms, the functionality advances offered by today’s BDU provides more to the officer in both comfort and durability than the class B uniform has been able to muster over many years. They likely will continue to push the bounds of functionality for the street officer in the years to come.
