PURPOSE
The purpose of this policy is to establish the standards of uniform dress and authorized equipment for sworn officers.
POLICY
It is the policy of the Michigan State University Police Department (Department) to provide officers with guidance and uniform options that will allow them to be recognizable as a police officer, while striving for a uniform that provides multiple options to accommodate special events and duties.
PROCEDURES
General
The uniform color of the Department is blue.
When in uniform, the entire uniform shall be worn.
Officers are not allowed to combine civilian clothing and uniform clothing.
Each officer will be responsible for the correctness and fit of all uniform items; and each officer will be responsible for return and replacement of non-conforming items.
Each officer shall be responsible for the condition of all uniform items and shall replace same when necessary.
Uniform Clothing Classifications
Uniform A: Dress Uniform.
The dress uniform will consist of a dark navy dress blouse. It is to be worn with the long sleeve duty shirt and tie. The dress hat is a standard part of this uniform. The dress uniform will be issued to Command Staff and worn at formal events, or as directed by the Chief of Police (Chief) or designee.
Uniform B: Duty Uniform
Shirt
Long sleeve or short sleeve.
Department issued black tee-shirt shall be worn underneath short sleeve duty shirt.
Department issued turtle neck or black tee-shirt shall be worn underneath the long sleeve duty shirt.
The duty uniform shirt is determined by the shift supervisor. A general rule is when the high temperature is above 60 degrees for the majority of shift, the uniform shirt will be short sleeves.
Trousers
Blue wool
Tie
Optional, unless directed by the Chief.
Dress hat
Optional unless directed by the Chief.
Baseball cap
Only a department-issued cap may be worn and shall only be worn with fatigues, or as described below.
K-9 Officers
May only wear baseball caps when on an active K-9 call or while on a scheduled training day.
Baseball caps may not be worn during general patrol, with the exception of bicycle officers upon removing their helmets.
Footwear either duty-issued (boots or shoes) or personally purchased (boots, shoes or socks):
Black boots, over the ankle boots and must be plain toe footwear
Black shoes that are plain oxford toe or plain athletic footwear
Socks shall be black in color, if visible
Outerwear, jacket and rain gear
Dark navy “car coat”
Department issued rain coat
Dark navy rain pant
Rain pants match the car coats and are intended for use in inclement weather, worn over the duty-issued wool pants.
Primarily they will be used in rain or heavy snow conditions.
They are not meant to substitute for dress wool pants and will generally not be worn except as described above.
Uniform C
Uniform C includes clothing requirements when working in a non-uniform or training assignment.
Officers are required to wear assignment appropriate items, while working in a non-uniform role.
Any clothing that is acceptable for a business casual environment, would be appropriate in a non-uniform role.
Officers when working in a non-uniform role may also need a more relaxed style of dress, which would require them to work in various environments and situations. Supervisory permission is needed for this mode of dress.
Officers in a training role shall wear training activity appropriate attire.
The blue police tee-shirt or K-9 tee-shirt shall be worn with fatigue pants.
Officers attending court shall wear the duty uniform or business attire.
Special Assignment Uniform
Those officers assigned to special units, such as K-9, bicycle patrol, and FTO’s in “shadow phase” shall wear the uniform appropriate for assignment of the day.
It will not be expected that they change attire for brief weather fluctuations during their shifts.
Special Event Uniform
The special event uniform will conform to the duty uniform of the day, unless directed otherwise.
Uniform Clothing Specifications
Department award and Special Duty pins
Officers are authorized to wear special duty pins when attached to the duty shirt
Authorized pins are as follows:
Field Training Officer
K-9 Unit
IRSRT Unit
CSI
SVU
CIT
MSUPD Pins on Collar and an approved American Flag Pin on shirt
Supervisory insignia pins (Lieutenant and above in rank)
Department Awards
Awards issued by this Department are placed above the nameplate
Awards earned from any other departments shall not be worn on the uniform.
Authorized pins can be optionally placed above department awards