WELLBEING
or restraining suspects harder – and sometimes impossible. Perhaps the most striking finding is inconsistency. The survey reveals a postcode lottery of kit, with experience largely dependent not on operational need, but on local procurement budgets. In some forces, as many as three quarters of respondents reported negative experiences, with Merseyside and South Yorkshire among the hardest hit. By contrast, North Yorkshire Police was the only force where a majority reported a more positive experience – though even then, less than half felt satisfied.
This disparity not only affects officer morale but undermines public confidence in policing’s professionalism and visibility. Certain items came up again and again as sources of frustration:
• Cargo trousers: Worn by over 12,000 officers, they topped the complaints
• Body armour: Described by 61 per cent as uncomfortable, many linked it to
list with 69 per cent finding them restrictive, ill-fitting, and impractical. One officer explained: “They teach us good restraints and moves in Public Safety Training, but I can’t do half of them in these trousers.”
• Headwear: Custodian helmets and bowler hats were repeatedly
chronic back pain, injuries, and restricted breathing. For female officers, the fit was especially problematic, with one respondent saying: “The stab vest doesn’t incorporate breasts, pressing on my chest and making it hard to breathe.”
• General fit and quality: Over a third of respondents said their uniform
made them feel scruffy or unprofessional, undermining confidence when on duty.
THE IMPACT ON HEALTH AND WELLBEING
• Male officers most often reported musculoskeletal pain, back injuries, and
The findings are not just about discomfort – they point to serious health risks. A staggering 57 per cent of all respondents reported at least one health condition caused or worsened by uniform. Among female officers the figure rose to 85 per cent, compared to 62 per cent of male colleagues.
31 | POLICE | OCTOBER | 2025
labelled outdated, impractical, and uncomfortable.
• Female officers highlighted issues with trousers that dug painfully into the hip
herniated discs linked to body armour and equipment weight.
and groin area, causing cuts and swelling, as well as chest pain from body armour compressing the bust.
“Honestly, if I left my job, these trousers would be the number one reason.”
The physical toll was clear. “Just saying ‘pain’ does not cover it,” one officer wrote. “Years of wearing this kit have reshaped my back and neck.”
But uniforms also impacted emotional wellbeing. Nearly two in five officers said the way kit looked or fitted affected their body image. Almost one in five said it harmed their mental health, leaving them embarrassed in public or reluctant to wear force-issued items. For some, the consequences were
career changing. “Honestly, if I left my job, these trousers would be the number one reason,” said one female respondent. Threaded through the feedback is a clear frustration: procurement prioritises cost over quality. Officers repeatedly described buying their own boots, trousers, or equipment because force-issued kit was so
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