KCPD Announces Officers Will Wear New Uniforms

Officers from the Kansas City Missouri Police Department will wear new uniforms beginning in January of 2026. This will be the department’s first uniform change in 41 years.

The department’s new navy blue uniforms are made of modern-day materials and technology, making them more functional and safer for KCPD’s 1200 officers.

The move to navy blue uniforms is a transition away from the just-for-KCPD, custom-made, less available French blues that KCPD has donned since 1984. After extensive research, the department learned it was not possible to replicate the department’s current French blue uniforms using modern-day technology due to the way the materials absorb color.

The new uniforms are made of a lighter, four-way stretch material, making them more functional to wear. They repel fluids and breathe better. They also provide UV protection. Twenty officers, comprising men and women, tested the uniforms over a lengthy period, and the response was overwhelmingly positive. Officers will be safer and perform better in the new uniforms.

Additionally, the department is introducing a new patch that officers will wear on both sleeves. KANSAS CITY is boldly displayed on the patch, showing who officers represent. The year “1874” reflects the year KCPD originated. The interior color is French blue, paying homage to the department’s past. This new patch matches the new uniform’s look and preserves KCPD’s storied history of service to Kansas City.

The specific date of the uniform change in January is still to be determined.