Renewing a police uniform is no simple task. Comfort, durability, and design all play a major role, but color has become increasingly important as well. Recent developments in Belgium and Suriname show just how complex choosing the right colors can be.
From formal to functional
In honor of 50 years of Srefidensi, Suriname’s Independence Day, a new police uniform has been introduced. Since 1995, officers have worn formal attire consisting of dark gray trousers, a white shirt, and a gray police cap. That image is about to change completely.
The formal look is being replaced by a more rugged and functional clothing package. Officers will now wear navy cargo pants with side pockets, paired with a polo shirt in a slightly lighter shade of blue and a matching baseball cap featuring the Suriname logo. For extra visibility, the police force has chosen what they call “velvet green” accents. This color is prominently displayed in the wide horizontal stripes across the chest, and more subtly in the collar and trousers.
Velvet green as a visual signature
Using dark blue tones is common in police uniforms worldwide, but that’s not where the discussion lies. The uniform’s horizontal green striping makes it visually similar to those worn in the Netherlands and Sint Maarten. Dutch police also wear a navy uniform, but with fluorescent yellow horizontal stripes across the chest. Sint Maarten uses a similar style, except the entire upper section down to mid-chest is fluorescent yellow.
There is a reason European police forces often choose fluorescent yellow details. When applied in sufficient quantities and combined with reflective elements, they meet European high-visibility standards (ISO 20471). Suriname, however, deliberately chose velvet green. It makes officers recognizable on the street and the new fit is far more functional. And although the green does not meet European high-visibility norms, the contrast of the light green against the dark blue background still makes officers more visible than they were in the previous gray-and-white ensemble.
To reduce costs, the new clothing package is unisex and more affordable, while the older gray-and-white uniforms will continue to be worn in office settings.
New color combinations after criticism
A spokesperson for the Surinamese police emphasized that, despite public debate, the new uniform will be implemented as planned. That was also the initial intention for Belgium’s new police uniform, but that plan is now in question. As I mentioned in an earlier column, the French-speaking community in Belgium objected to the dark-blue-and-yellow color combination, saying it resembled the Flemish flag too closely (a yellow background with a black lion), which symbolizes the Dutch-speaking region.
Although Belgium’s new design strongly resembled that of its Dutch neighbors, this was a deliberate choice. The designer noted that similar uniforms would make cross-border cooperation easier in the future.
At first, Belgian Minister of the Interior Bernard Quintin halted the project due to cost concerns. He has now indicated that new color combinations will be explored.
These situations illustrate that a police uniform is never just a technical product. Color choices reflect history, identity, politics, safety, and international cooperation. It’s a delicate balance. Countries want their officers to be visible and professional, yet still recognizable to their own population. And that is exactly why, sometimes, a color says more about a nation than the uniform itself.
Photo Credit: politie.sr
