Uniforms create new look for sheriff’s deputies
TONY BROWN/DAILY FORUM
Members of the Nodaway County Sheriff’s Office are shown wearing the department’s new uniforms, which feature olive drab cargo pants, open-collared shirts and, when needed, a lightweight insulated jacket or jacket-and-shell combination. Pictured from left are deputies Randy Houston, Scott Wedlock, Chase Howell and Jonathan Black along with Sheriff Randy Strong at right.
Nodaway County Sheriff’s Office personnel are modeling a new style for spring.
Citing mistakes on orders and other problems with customer service linked to the previous provider, which has been bought by another company, Sheriff Randy Strong said Tuesday the department has switched uniform vendors in a bid to provide deputies with what he believes is more comfortable, better-quality clothing for use in the field.
The uniforms, which are now in use, were purchased from The Armory, a police supply business in Kearney, a small town in Clay County just north of Kansas City.
The business supplies uniforms to Jackson County officers as well as several other law enforcement agencies across the region, Strong said.
Less formal and more rugged than the uniforms previously used by deputies here, the new outfits feature looser-fitting tan shirts and olive drab cargo pants.
Strong said the colors are more in line with what most sheriff’s departments use these days. The old uniforms consisted of once-traditional “pink tan” uniform pants with leg stripes and navy blue or white shirts, depending on the deputy’s rank.
The former uniforms were similar to “Class A” military dress and were often worn with a tie.
In contrast, the new outfits are closer to “field dress” and can be worn open-collared.
Strong said both shirts and pants incorporate Teflon into the fabric, which reduces snagging.
The outfits don’t include hats, and officers will wear stocking caps or other headgear of their own choosing when the weather requires it.
According to the sheriff, plans call for the purchase of a slightly dressier uniform — though still along the same lines with regard to cut and color — for wear with a tie during court sessions and at more formal public events.
However, those outfits won’t be required until next year after deputies receive their next clothing allowance.
In addition to the new-style pants and shirts, Nodaway deputies are also wearing lightweight olive drab insulated jackets by Spiewak, a New York-based firm known for its high-quality outdoor and first-responder apparel for more than 100 years.
The jackets do double duty as a liner for a parka-like shell designed for use during very cold weather.
Deputies currently receive $500 a year to cover uniform costs, and Strong said the allowance was enough for each officer to purchase two long-sleeve shirts, two short-sleeve shirts, two pairs of pants and the jacket-shell combination.
