Deputies for the York County Sheriff’s Office have a new look.
Beginning Monday, officers will be sporting khaki shirts with green BDU style pants, according to a press release from sheriff’s PIO Trent Faris.
The uniform also includes a black bullet-proof vest carrier with the word “Sheriff” written on the front left and back. The khaki shirt will also be labeled “Sheriff” on the front left chest with badge design on the right front chest. The back of the shirts will also read “York County Sheriff.”
The move comes a year after select deputies participated in a trial period, testing different uniform styles, Faris said. Participants picked these uniforms as their preferred choice because of the comfort, durability, and practical day-to-day usefulness.
“Other than the visual changes, the health benefits of this new style of uniforms is one of the key reasons we chose to move to this new uniform,” said Sheriff Kevin Tolson said in the press release. “The comfort, safety, and long term health benefits for our deputies is very important.”
The average officer carries about 30 pounds of equipment and this weight can eventually lead to physical problems, including lower back pain, nerve damage, and hip pain.
By carrying the weight of the equipment on the torso instead of the waist, officers are relieving stress on the lower back and hips.
A few more facts about the uniforms:
• The outer vest carriers allow deputies to take them off while in the office completing paperwork.
• The green BDU style pants have more cargo pockets for equipment versus the dress style black pants.
• From a price point, the new uniforms are cheaper and more durable than the former grey and black.
• The last complete uniform change for the York County Sheriff’s Office was approximately 30 years ago. Sheriff George Eaton moved from a khaki and brown uniform to the grey and black style.