After nearly 60 years of wearing the same uniform with very little changes, the Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office will get a new look starting May 1.
The change will modernize the look of the agency and will be a cost-saver to tax payers, the sheriff's office says.
Deputies have been wearing a medium blue shirt and striped pants, but will switch to an all-black uniform.
The new patch will reflect their history of being the first sheriff's office in Colorado and will also include the rank of each deputy.
The new look aims to make law enforcement personnel more recognizable and look more consistent with other agencies.
There is a built-in reflective feature on the new shirts that can be used for safety when necessary.
The old pants were hot in the summer, cold in the winter and not very comfortable, the sheriff's office says. The new pants are more flexible, durable and comfortable.
The Sheriff's Office says that, between costs of new uniforms and changes in the volume of uniform items ordered, the cost saving will be about $167 per sworn employee over the long-term. This is for 485 commissioned employees.
Fewer uniforms will be issued to deputies generally assigned to administrative positions, such as investigators.
The old uniforms were custom-dyed and a stocking fee to their supplier to maintain adequate stock had to be paid. This will no longer be the case.
The Sheriff’s Office used its uniform budget from 2015 and 2016 to fund the initial uniform transition so there are no negative budget impacts for the change.
