RCMP to update uniforms with new shirts

(Royal Canadian Mounted Police, via Facebook)

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) is updating its uniforms, including new navy-blue shirts for officers.

Announced Tuesday, the change will roll out on a province-by-province basis, starting this October in Prince Edward Island and spreading elsewhere in the country over the next 18 months.

“For the first time in 30 years, RCMP officers will be stepping out in their communities with a new uniform shirt that fits with today’s modern times,” RCMP commissioner Mike Duheme said in a press release.

In addition to a change in colour from the existing grey uniforms, the new shirts also feature “more modern materials that enhance comfort and adaptability in different environments,” and are available in a “female fit version” to accommodate more body types.

The agency notes that in the near future, members of the public may see RCMP officers in either the grey or blue uniforms as the change rolls out, which it acknowledges may cause some confusion, including in light of recent incidents of individuals allegedly impersonating police.

“If you have any concerns about the identity of the police officer you are interacting with, you can ask the officer for identification,” the Tuesday release reads.

“You can also contact your local detachment’s non-emergency line or Operational Communication Centre to determine if there is a police officer at your location.”