What are the best colors for police uniforms?

Most of the time, I’m really good at picking out color schemes for uniform programs. It takes a little creativity, a little listening, and a little awareness of how certain colors will look together. You want new neckwear for your hotel staff? No problem. I’m your guy. You need vests for your restaurant servers that coordinate with the existing décor? Don’t mind if I do. I’m not as confident, however, when it comes to choosing the “right” colors for police officers. It’s a little too much pressure for me. In the past, I’ve kind of avoided making those types of decisions. But I can’t run away from it forever. After all, I’m supposed to be a uniform expert! So today, I’m going to walk myself (and you) through the psychology behind police uniform color, and see if we can’t come to some sort of conclusion on the matter.

The color of police uniforms matters a lot more than the color of, say, housekeeping uniforms. A lot more is at stake. A police officer needs to look and feel tough, strong, and brave but also friendly, caring, and approachable. They need to blend in sometimes for safety, and other times, they need to stand out so that the people who need them can quickly and easily spot them. They should look sharp, polished, and professional, and not at all sloppy. Lives are on the line, and every detail counts. So how does color affect the overall look of a police officer?  

Color can impact the perception of a police officer in interesting and surprising ways. Studies have shown that light colors are often considered pleasant but weak, and dark colors are associated with strength but also evil. For example, the color black is associated with power. But black can also conjure up negative emotions. An officer wearing black can be perceived as being more aggressive, and in turn, people may act more aggressively toward that officer.

On the other hand, an officer may be targeted for not looking authoritative enough. Someone who is in need of help might be relieved to see an officer in a light color, because they will perceive that officer as being helpful and kind. But a criminal might see that same officer as weak, and believe that they can get away with violence or even murder.

So is there a perfect color for police uniforms? Probably not. Each color seems to have advantages and disadvantages. But some are better than others. Psychologist and former correctional officer deputy sheriff Keith Renfroe conducted a study that compared four different color combinations in terms of perception. Uniform colors were deemed good/bad, nice/mean, warm/cold, gentle/forceful, friendly/unfriendly, passive/aggressive and honest/corrupt. Black uniforms were rated poorly, while uniforms consisting of navy blue pants and light blue shirts did the best.  

So there you have it. Navy blue pants and light blue shirts. Mystery solved. 

Here's a great light blue shirt from Flying Cross by Fechheimer. It has permanent creases so it will always look sharp.

And some Teflon-coated navy trousers by 5.11 Tactical. These pants have a waistband gripper, so your shirt will stay tucked in no matter what you're doing.

These Magnum USA shoes are made with full-grain leather and 1650 denier ballistic nylon., and they're metal detector safe.

The Garrison Belt by Premier Emblem is a great value and a really high quality leather belt.