Ireland: Garda with new look and new uniform

   Image: Garda press

Gardai will sport their new uniform from yesterday with a blue polo shirt replacing the current shirt worn by officers on duty.

It’s only the third time in the force’s history that its uniform has been formally changed.

The hat will remain the same, but changes will include a blue polo-shirt and cargo-style "operational" trousers.

Garda Lee Higgins from Store Street Garda Station in Dublin told Newstalk the change will be a big improvement, especially in the heat.

“It’s very modern, its designed for the members and it’s a great opportunity in the summer time to have a new uniform and wear the polo top or the soft shell jacket. It’s just designed very well and very comfy to wear.”

The new uniform will consist of a two-tone soft shell jacket, a two-tone waterproof jacket, a garda blue polo shirt, operational trousers and practical base layers.

    Gardaí from Tallaght Station wearing their new uniforms pictured at Tallaght Garda Station. Credit Photo: Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin

Over 13,000 uniform members of An Garda Sochána of Garda, Sergeant, and Inspector level received the new operational uniform, which was sent to every Garda region, division, district, and more than 560 Garda stations nationwide.

An Garda Sochána stated that this "demonstrates the respect maintained by An Garda Sochána for this distinctive sign as we enter the second century of policing in Ireland" and is the first time the operational uniform, other than the uniform cap, would incorporate the Garda crest.

The current uniform cap will remain in place "as a unique and distinctive element of the Garda uniform".

An Garda Sóchána previously revised its uniform policy to accept the wearing of official hats for religious and cultural purposes, including the turban, keffi, topi, kippah, and hijab.

A significant finding of the 2018 internal Personnel Cultural Audit was that front-line garda wanted a new, useful operational uniform.

The findings of the Cultural Audit were influenced by the work of almost 6,500 members of An Garda Sochána. A Police Service For Our Future, a report by the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland, includes the new Garda uniform as a major recommendation.