The National Police Agency (NPA) said Friday that it will abolish skirts in uniforms worn by community police officers at police boxes and other locations.
The move, to take place in April, reflects the fact that a vast majority of female police officers already opt to wear pants that are easy to move around in.
In the latest change to police uniforms, the NPA will also introduce polo shirt-type wear with high breathability as part of its summer lineup, to help officers bear the scorching heat.
According to the NPA, skirts used to be widely worn as many female police officers had been tasked with tackling traffic violations. Recently, many women have been stationed at police boxes, creating the need for them to rush to scenes of incidents and apprehend suspects, and prompting them to avoid choosing skirts.
Under the uniform revision, the NPA will also unify the sizes of class insignia which currently differ between men and women.
The polo shirt-type uniform will have short- and long-sleeve versions. The color and design of the uniform will be the same as those of existing shirts, except for the number of buttons. The NPA will also create a new cap for patrol duty that is made with mesh fabric.
The polo shirt-type uniform will be introduced on a trial basis at four police stations of the Saitama Prefectural Police from May to October. Prefectural police departments will then decide whether to actually adopt it.
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