PHILADELPHIA — Starting Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2025, the Philadelphia Police Department will begin issuing new midnight-blue uniform shirts to officers, marking the first major change in uniform color since the 1970s, NBC Philadelphia reported.
The department announced that the rollout will take place in phases, with some officers transitioning to the darker shirts while others will continue wearing the department’s current powder blue uniforms until they receive their updated attire, according to the report.
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The change, according to officials, is intended to restore the department’s “traditional” look. Midnight blue uniforms were worn by Philadelphia police for more than a century before the shift to powder blue in the 1970s.
The new shirts will match the midnight-blue load-bearing ballistic vests already in use, according to the report.
“The new design reinforces professionalism, authority, and familiarity; qualities that the public expects from its officers,” the department stated in a press release.
The transition will continue through the coming months as more officers are issued the updated uniforms.
