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15 www.officer.com June 2014 Law Enforcement Technology EQUIPPING THE OFFICER different items for which police are now responsible. Even though the style of a basic police uniform hasn't changed all that much over time, uniforms rapidly evolve in other ways. From armor skin products that allow officers to wear their vests on the outside of their uniforms, but still maintain an unde- tectable presence, to the ultra lightweight materials, the future is already here. As for that future, Blauer sees police uniforms striking a balance between com- fort and appearance, while still keeping up with the times. Al Otero, marketing manag- er for Elbeco, agrees, saying that in addition to producing durable and water repellent fabrics, officers now benefit from uniforms that are situationally dependent. Aside from tactical and special units, most Southern departments shy away from boots or high top shoes, while Northern agencies, which frequently encounter snow and ice, frequently issue boots so officers can tuck their pants into the top to help keep their feet and pants' legs dry. Most departments have gone to a more casual shoe that's easier to run in, reserving less pliable and water resistant dress shoes for use with dress uniforms. Performance and waterproofing are the big considerations when it comes to foot gear, and many departments allow offi- cers to buy whatever foot gear they want within certain guidelines. Otero says he believes that uniforms are going to evolve in the direction of officer safety. "Ballistic protection, protec- tion against stab wounds and bullets—I think that technology will become more and more integrated into the uniform. I do think in the future there will be shirts that will be bulletproof. The thickness will be 10, 20 millimeters." Another possible future develop- ment, say the experts, could be a thin material covering to protect the head and face. In fact, officers in the future can look forward to increased protection in lightweight, highly comfortable, easy to maintain fabrics that will be far cries from the earliest police uniforms. And we're betting that the NYPD's first uniformed officers—all decked out in swallowtail coats with confining high collars—would applaud those changes. ■ A 12-year veteran of police work, Carole Moore has served in patrol, forensics, crime prevention and criminal investi- gations, and has extensive training in many law enforce- ment disciplines. She is the author of The Last Place You'd Look: True Stories of Missing Persons and the People Who Search for Them (Rowman & Littlefield, Spring 2011) Carole can be contacted through the www.carolemoore.com or Amazon author page. She welcomes comments at carolemoore_biz@yahoo.com. 800-GUNHIDE 631-841-6300 Dept #LE4 431 Bayview Avenue, Amityville, NY 11701 We didn't invent concealment, we just perfected it! MSRP Style 033 $ 32 99 • Tuckable 360 C-Clip for unlimited positioning/IWB Carry • Integral belt loop/ OWB Carry • Made from soft non- molded leather with thumb break DUAL CARRY II ® www.desantisholster.com OWB Carry IWB Carry Circle 93 on Reader Service Card COMPANY READER SERVICE NO. Blauer 99 Elbeco 100 Horace Small 101 Liberty Uniform Mfg. Co. Inc. 102 For more information on these companies, circle the corresponding number on the Reader Service Card M O R E I N F O R M A T I O N LET_12-15_DressedOfficer0614.indd 15 5/20/14 1:42 PM