The new police uniforms that were launched last week do not do honour to the corps.
Worse than this, they lessen the authority that police officers have and must show that they have.
The force said that the new uniform is a result of a “significant €2.3 million investment, as we believe that our officers deserve the best equipment and support. It is just one of the many ways that we are working to improve the quality of life for our staff”.
That may be so, but the message sent to the public is the wrong one.
These new uniforms have given a image to the force, but it is not the weakened image that they need at a time – and it has been a long time now – that the corps has been under the spotlight for the wrong reasons.
A police uniform should be one that commands respect. When people see a police officer, they should see someone who exudes authority, someone who immediately shows that he or she is in charge, someone whose presence is enough to calm down a potentially volatile situation.
A police uniform should also symbolise trust and convey power. People should immediately feel more protected and safe in the presence of a police officer.
A uniform should help the police stand out in a crowd so that they can be easily recognisable and, most of all, distinguish them for the job they carry out. They should have an imposing effect on others, changing the mood of a situation as soon as they arrive.
The new uniforms are the complete opposite to what they should be. Police officers now look like they are going on a hike, to use a euphemism. The uniforms do not give them a commanding presence, they do not signify trust and they do not radiate competence and reliability.
In other words, police officers today look less professional, less authoritative, and lest trustworthy.
The uniforms might be more comfortable, they might be more attractive, and they might look modern. But they should not be uniforms of a police force.
They can be likened to sportswear and, with this in mind, we do take the opportunity to say that there are some police officers who, to put it mildly, are not in good physical shape.
The impression these new uniforms give is the same impression one would get if a judge had to walk into a courtroom wearing shorts and flip-flops.
The introduction of the new police uniforms is unfortunately emblematic of a society that no longer shows respect to authoritative figures. The society that we live in today is one in which the respect shown by students towards teachers, workers towards their superiors, and citizens towards authoritative figures is at its lowest.
And we are not doing much to reverse the trend or, at least, try to contain the damage. The new police uniforms are a case in point. Instead of an attempt to rekindle the public’s esteem towards the police force, the message the police force is sending through the new uniforms is that they are not expecting respect.
The little respect that they still enjoyed will now fizzle out completely.