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Pa. officers wear temporary uniforms as COVID-19 restrictions close dry-cleaners

The casual uniforms can be used later for training and other special circumstances

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Officers of the Northern Lancaster County Regional Police model the temporary uniform officers will be wearing during the coronavirus pandemic.

Photo/TNS

Matt Miller
Patriot-News

LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. — The coronavirus pandemic is forcing at least one central Pennsylvania police department to temporarily change the way its officers dress.

Northern Lancaster County Regional Police officials said Friday that Gov. Tom Wolf’s blanket order closing non-life-sustaining businesses means dry cleaning services won’t be available to keep the regular uniforms tidy.

So, these cops will be going casual. Police said they already had the dress-down ability in reserve for such a crisis.

The coronavirus outfit, which requires only regular washing and drying, consists of a black polo shirt with an embroidered patch on the front left chest and Regional Police identification on the back, Tan khaki or coyote-colored BDU-style pants, black boots and black undershirts.

The headgear requirement is temporarily tossed, but officers still will wear body cameras and all other standard equipment. The temporary uniform will hit the street at 6 p.m. Friday.

This getup won’t go completely out of style once the pandemic abates. “Another advantage is the uniform will be used for future training, special circumstance, search and rescue, crime scene and other future NLCRPD needs,” police said.

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