Police verdict on their uniforms: poor design, ill-fitting and painful
Officers responding to the first national uniform and equipment survey across all 43 forces in England and Wales reported symptoms so severe that some had to have operations.
Ill-fitting trousers were highlighted as the most problematic and challenging item of clothing. The cargo trousers, worn by more than 12,000 officers, were described as potentially dangerous, creating health problems and injuries, such as crushed and cut genitals.
The study was led by Camilla De Camargo and Stephanie Wallace of Lancaster University Law School, working with the Police Federation of England and Wales and the National Police Chiefs' Council.
In the survey, which was carried out last year, 56 per cent of respondents reported having had a negative experience with their uniform.
More than 60 per cent said their uniform restricted their movements or effectiveness.
Only 20 per cent said they had a positive experience with the uniform. The standard-issue cargo trousers were the prime suspect for unhappy staff, as 69 per cent of respondents viewed them as problematic.
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'They're not practical to search house[s] in and carry out stop searches when bending to floor/restraining someone on the floor,' one officer said. 'They teach us all these good restraints and moves in public safety training but I can't do half of them in these trousers.'
Some respondents said their police uniform had contributed to physical health problems. The most common complaint for men was musculoskeletal pain affecting joints, bones and muscles. Almost 400 comments listed back pain, injuries and spasms and many attributed their pain to body armour or equipment.
'The poor design and restricted movement of the force-issued trousers, coupled with the weight and poor design of the cheap body armour, placed increasing load on my lower back and prevented me from bending at the knee properly,' one officer said. 'This led to a herniated disc and resulted in several months of sick leave … requiring extensive treatment.'
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Female officers reported problems with their uniforms, the stomach being an area of concern. The survey found the ill-fitting trousers were also restrictive in the hip, groin and upper-thigh areas for women. Many reported the trousers digging in at the crotch and in some extreme cases leading to blistering, swelling and cuts to their genitals.
'Honestly, if I left my job these [trousers] would be the number-one reason,' one respondent said.
De Camargo said the researchers were 'shocked by the results but, unfortunately, not surprised'. She added: 'It is important to be able to highlight these issues on such a large scale. We hope this evidence can lead to impactful changes that improve the lives of uniform wearers.'
Belinda Goodwin and Zac Mader, national board members of the Police Federation who worked closely with the researchers, said police chiefs needed to focus more on the comfort of their staff and that restrictive uniforms were stopping officers from keeping their communities safe.
'We ardently appeal to our employers and the government to wake up and take cognisance of the independent evidence obtained by this pioneering study to immediately devote resources to provide our officers with uniform that is fit for purpose and fit for all,' they said.
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