(Trinidad Express) New uniforms which were purchased for the Police Service are water resistant and stain proof, according to secretary of the Police Service Social and Welfare Association, Sgt Michael Seales.
He said the uniforms were was supposed to have been part of the 21 Century Policing initiative were not approved by police officers and will now be worn by police recruits.
On Sunday, the Commissioner of Police Dwayne Gibbs in a statement to the media, the cost of 300 newly-designed police uniforms was TT$550,000, which works out to an approximate figure of TT$1,833 per uniform.
Gibbs stated that the new uniforms were commissioned as a pilot programme intended as a prelude to widespread adoption of more climate appropriate and comfortable apparel for the benefit of all of our officers.
“These uniforms will now be used in the Training Academy as part of the trainee attire representing a responsible and necessary expenditure,” the released stated.
But Seales in a telephone interview said his members were willing to accept a change in colour, but not an all out change in the police uniform. Seales said that the old uniforms are made of wool, while the new uniforms are made of polyester.
“We have some concerns… if you are showing us samples and have expended a great number of funds then it can’t be a sample at that stage,” Seales said adding that the executive are “shifting and saying they are for the trainees” which he said was news for the association.
