# Why do so many police forces use blue uniforms? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 27, 2011, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-police-forces-use-blue-uniforms/583425 "2011-05-27T13:48:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2011, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-police-forces-use-blue-uniforms/583425/21 "2011-05-30T19:13:33Z")
> [@A.Gwilliam](#): > > I should have thought the reason for the UK and the RoI “retaining” 999 was pretty obvious! 999, 911 and 112 all work on any phone ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2011, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-police-forces-use-blue-uniforms/583425/22 "2011-05-30T19:21:39Z")
> [@Baron\_Greenback](#): > > 999, 911 and 112 all work on any phone In Britain, I hasten to add. ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2011, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-police-forces-use-blue-uniforms/583425/23 "2011-05-30T19:43:56Z")
It’s a practical colour which seems ‘serious.’ British police uniforms are black have been so for a long time, although they were originally a very dark blue. > [@Cartooniverse](#): > > SNIP > > I’m going with [Spain](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Police) as a reasonable interpretation of modern police deployment in a city. That doesn’t say anything about when a modern police force was established in Spain. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2011, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-police-forces-use-blue-uniforms/583425/24 "2011-05-30T22:25:19Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Product association? It’s why cola cans are red, root beer cans are brown, and butter packages are yellow. It’s what people expect to see. Really? Cola cans are red? Even [Pepsi](http://www.infobarrel.com/media/image/305.jpg), [Diet Pepsi](http://theannoyingcokecan.webs.com/photos/other-cola-products/pepsi_can.jpg), [RC Cola](http://brandsofcola.com/resources/rc-cola.jpg), and [Jolt Cola](http://farm1.static.flickr.com/37/110345832_ed12624ce8.jpg)? (I guess that Jolt can is kind of reddish, although it looks more like orange to me) ---
**Author:** ![Shmendrik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Shmendrik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shmendrik)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2011, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-police-forces-use-blue-uniforms/583425/25 "2011-05-30T22:53:25Z")
[quote=“Gary “Wombat” Robson, post:24, topic:583425”] Really? Cola cans are red? Even [Pepsi](http://www.infobarrel.com/media/image/305.jpg), [Diet Pepsi](http://theannoyingcokecan.webs.com/photos/other-cola-products/pepsi_can.jpg), [RC Cola](http://brandsofcola.com/resources/rc-cola.jpg), and [Jolt Cola](http://farm1.static.flickr.com/37/110345832_ed12624ce8.jpg)? (I guess that Jolt can is kind of reddish, although it looks more like orange to me) [/QUOTE] Yes, the Jolt can is red, and all the other cans have red on them. ---
**Author:** ![Shmendrik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Shmendrik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shmendrik)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2011, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-police-forces-use-blue-uniforms/583425/26 "2011-05-30T22:57:40Z")
> [@yabob](#): > > FWIW, here’s a page with pictures of the state police uniforms for all the states, informally collected by somebody: > > [http://www.chpforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=8680](http://www.chpforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=8680) > > A lot are blue, but a lot aren’t. Are the NY State Police trying to look like over the hill Nazis, or is it just a fortuitous coincidence? ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2011, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-police-forces-use-blue-uniforms/583425/27 "2011-05-30T23:23:53Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Dark blue also hides stains easily, so there are certain practical aspects to the color choice as well. Blood stains, especially. Wouldn’t want those to stand out or cause undue cleaning costs. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2011, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-police-forces-use-blue-uniforms/583425/28 "2011-05-30T23:39:30Z")
I think officially the Garda uniforms are blue, but they seem to mainly wear[these high-vis uniforms](http://www.donegaldaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Donegal-Garda.jpg)these days. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2011, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-police-forces-use-blue-uniforms/583425/29 "2011-05-30T23:39:41Z")
> [@yabob](#): > > FWIW, here’s a page with pictures of the state police uniforms for all the states, informally collected by somebody: > > [http://www.chpforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=8680](http://www.chpforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=8680) > > A lot are blue, but a lot aren’t. It’s the State police and highway police–and the Mounties and Park Rangers–who have those killer sharp brims. Somehow those put the fear of God in you right quick. But they look so cool, I wouldn’t mind seeing them on the street. ---
**Author:** ![yabob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yabob/32/2821_2.png) [@yabob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yabob)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2011, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-police-forces-use-blue-uniforms/583425/30 "2011-05-31T00:04:34Z")
> [@Leo\_Bloom](#): > > It’s the State police and highway police–and the Mounties and Park Rangers–who have those killer sharp brims. Somehow those put the fear of God in you right quick. But they look so cool, I wouldn’t mind seeing them on the street. A lot of US county police forces use the campaign hats, too. They aren’t favored by US city cops. Or, apparently, the national police forces in the EU - the link provided for EU uniforms shows a lot of varied hats, but not a “Smokey” in the lot. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-police-forces-use-blue-uniforms/583425.md?page=1)