They will
still be the officers in blue, but from Monday (April 16) all
Singapore Police Force (SPF) ground officers will don uniforms made
of a new fabric designed to better deal with the heat and
humidity.
Made of 98
per cent polyester and 2 per cent spandex, it dries faster and has
better sweat absorption capabilities.
The new
uniform - to be worn by police national servicemen and voluntary
special constabularies as well - includes hidden plastic buttons in
place of the metallic buttons on the current uniforms.
The hidden
buttons make it more comfortable for officers to wear body vests
over their new uniforms. The word "POLICE" is embroidered on the
right chest of the uniform.
The design
and fabric changes came after discussions with the Ministry of Home
Affairs' Office of the Chief Science and Technology Officer, and
were made for "improved breathability, comfort and lightness".
"This is part
of SPF's capability and equipment enhancement programme. The
changes to the uniforms will enable our officers to operate more
effectively and comfortably in local humidity," said a police
spokesman.
This is the
first uniform revamp for the police force since 1985.
Existing
uniforms, which are predominantly polyester, will be returned to
the SPF and recycled.
The new
uniform has two iterations - a long sleeved version, to be worn by
specialist units, and a short sleeved one, which will be donned by
ground response forces.