Originally emulating a military style, police uniforms were designed to command respect and show authority.

“In a chaotic, crazy situation—and in lesser ones—you don’t want someone in sweatpants telling you to go this way or do this,” said David Ludmar, chief executive officer of Eiseman Ludmar Company (ELC). “You want the uniform to be speaking to you, as much as the person who’s wearing that uniform.”¹

An agency’s location plays a strong role in the look of its uniform. There are also many factors in today’s policing that may have been unconsidered in the past, including social impact and gender equality.

Specialty Apparel

Not every agency has the same apparel needs as others, as they can be influenced by terrain, weather, and even season. For example, an officer patrolling a town near the beach may need different clothing than one operating in the mountains.

To fit agencies’ modern uniform needs, companies such as Mountain Uniforms are offering customization services that suit an agency’s job, climate, and image.

Based in Nevada near Lake Tahoe, Mountain Uniforms initially emerged to serve the the ski industry, but its mission soon caught on within the police, fire, and search and rescue departments. They worked with local sheriff’s offices and police departments to develop original outdoor uniforms that catered to public safety professionals. Beginning these efforts in 1996, the company found that many departments were limited to the styles and colors of apparel at uniform retail shops. “With us, they now have the ability to develop their own uniforms,” said Kim Stearns, managing director at Mountain Uniforms. “They can choose both feature options and overall look to enhance the image they want to project.”² After seeing a need in the industry for durable inclement-weather gear, Mountain Uniforms opened its services to agencies across the United States and Canada.

With a product line including shell fabric jackets and pants, as well as softshell and mid-layers to match, Mountain Uniforms has a variety of options to choose from. The service begins with a customer choosing a general style and color of the fabric. They then provide the designers with a list of features that best suit the agency’s needs. Popular requested features include pocket and zipper locations, adjustable sleeve cuffs, shoulder epaulettes, and mesh back lining, among others. Mountain Uniforms’ designers will create custom technical and color sketches for the agency to choose from.

Once the client is satisfied, the design moves into the manufacturing process. The abrasion-resistant fabrics are custom ordered so that an agency can have a coordinated image and style every time a new uniform is ordered. The waterproof, breathable fabrics are seam sealed to ensure officers stay dry, warm, and comfortable in various weather conditions. Patches, badges, and custom Velcro can be sewn on or seam sealed during production. Mountain Uniforms works directly with the agency for shipping.

Throughout policing history, societal changes have also impacted the needs of law enforcement officers. In the past few years, many areas across the world have seen disputes between police and the public. To protect themselves while fulfilling their duties, officers need special apparel during these encounters.

Since its inception in 1936, an apparel company has been supplying police services with apparel across the United Kingdom—and anticipates its international market to increase due to its investment in robotic manufacturing technology. “The evolution we have gone through—from a traditional manufacturer to a technology-led, purpose-driven company—has been exciting for all those involved,” said Hunter Apparel Solutions (Hunter)’s Chief Executive Officer Simon Hunter. “We feel we are now ready for global expansion.”³

One aspect of this global expansion includes the Hunter Tactical convertible flame-retardant public order suit. Hunter has combined its cutting-edge research and development with its proprietary software to introduce a two-piece suit into the law enforcement market aimed to provide comfort without risking officers’ protection. Also offered as a one-piece coverall, the suit will be available in a variety of colors and sizes.

This suit is from a range of compatibility-tested products and will set the tone for future innovation.

To complement the suit, Hunter has a service platform (HunterPAC) that uses intuitive software to capture all wearer data, including track and trace technology that is embedded into garments.

Society’s recognition of gender equality in the workforce has also made its way into the policing profession; Her BlueWear Uniforms (HBWU) provides apparel specifically tailored to the needs of women in public safety.

“Traditionally, law enforcement uniforms are tailored to fit men’s bodies with no regard to a woman’s shape,” explained HBWU chief executive officer Denise Czack. “The result has been not only years of improper fits but a hindrance to job performance.”⁴ The two founders of HBWU (one a female police officer) recognized that an improper uniform fit even interfered with access to a handgun from a misaligned gun belt.

HBWU offers uniform pants that fit a woman’s body shape first, then places a focus on their size. Utilizing an industry-standard colored fabric, their uniforms are available in a balanced (hourglass-shaped), defined (pear-shaped), or streamlined (rectangle-shaped) fit. With sizes ranging from 0 to 24, female officers can find apparel that fits properly and feels comfortable without compromising safety. A 00-sized version of pants is also offered in the streamlined fit.

Ceremonial Dress

Officers spend a large amount of time in the field, requiring specialized apparel and gear to perform their duties. However, there are also times when they need to don their traditional dress uniforms.

For these occurrences, HBWU also offers a version of pants that follow the mandatory ceremonial product specifications.

Focusing on an area outside of the traditional uniform industry, the family-owned ELC provides American-made uniform accessories to the field. While the majority of the uniform industry is focused on pants, shirts, coats, and shoes, ELC provides the decoration. “[We offer items] that make a plain police uniform into something specific for that department,” said Ludmar.⁵

Selling to both small and large departments across the United States, ELC provides high-quality collar brass to indicate rank or specialized unit. ELC’s catalog includes rank insignias, cutouts, stars, and tie bars, which can come in a gold, nickel, or subdued black finish.

Noticing that many departments were continually buying accessories that—although inexpensive—were constantly breaking, ELC wanted to provide a more durable product that was made domestically. Guaranteeing a higher-quality, longer-lasting product, the collar brass is driven by military specifications such as the components of brass and the degree of lacquer to preserve the color or finish. ELC also offers braid striping, epaulettes, parade cords, and dress caps.

No matter the call for service, there are many traditional and specialty apparel options available for police officers to perform their duties without compromising comfort, safety, or practicality.d

Notes:

¹David Ludmar (chief executive officer, Eiseman Ludmar Company), phone interview, September 2, 2022.

²Kim Stearns (managing director, Mountain Uniforms), email interview, August 18, 2022.

³Simon Hunter (chief executive officer, Hunter Apparel Solutions Limited), email interview, September 6, 2022.

⁴Denise Czack (chief executive officer/president, Her BlueWear Uniforms), email interview, September 2, 2022.

⁵David Ludmar, email interview.