Black shirts provide traditional look
Jan 15, 2010
By George Mauzy

Black is back!

Ohio University police officers are wearing new black uniform shirts that match their black slacks for the first time today. The shirts replaced their white predecessors that had been part of OUPD’s look for about 20 years.

The new shirts feature a redesigned OUPD patch that has the United States and state of Ohio flags emerging from behind a green Ohio University seal. The patch has a dark green and white outline and a black base. The previous OUPD patch featured the top of Cutler Hall in black on a white background with black trim.

OUPD Chief Andrew Powers said the uniform change has several benefits. He said the black shirts will show less wear, and are easier to maintain, which he hopes will lead to a cost savings in the long term. In addition, the darker shirts will make the officers less of a target at night and during incidents involving large unruly crowds.

“The dark uniform is more consistent with what other police departments wear and gives the officers a more traditional look,” Powers said. “We’re excited about the change.”

Police officer Brandon King said he likes the new black shirts. “I like everything about them,” King said. “They are made of a better material than the old ones, they look sharper and they’re easier to keep clean. I also like the fact that they make it harder for people to target us.”

The department also added new polo shirts to its wardrobe. Communication officers now wear short and long sleeve charcoal gray polo shirts with black trim instead of the white tops that the officers previously wore. Non-uniformed police officers will wear black polo shirts with white trim. All versions of the polo shirt feature an embroidered version of the new patch on the chest.

Powers said the polo shirt look for communication officers and non-uniformed police officers is also closer to the industry standard. He said the uniform changes were made possible in part because of support from the local Fraternal Order of Police lodge, which represents OUPD’s police officers.

“By contract, our officers receive an allowance twice a year for uniform maintenance," Powers said. "The FOP agreed to use that allowance to help pay for the purchase of the new shirts.”

The OUPD roster has 25 sworn officers, which includes Powers and Deputy Chief Mark Mathews. In addition, the department employs five communication officers and two administrative support staff.

Related Links:
Ohio University Police Department

OUPD Lt. Rich Russell in the new black uniform shirt

OUPD's new patch