Petition Bring back smart police uniforms for officers working in public spaces.

The "paramilitary" style adopted by many police forces today, while fine and obviously practical on operations and raids, should not be worn by officers working in town and city centres and other public places such as train stations, stadiums, and airports.

Simply put it make the police look bad, visual policing is a huge tool and the current image being put out, reminiscent of some shady military force, only serves to undermine public confidence and weaken respect for british policing.

Officers working in such places should be required to wear a more formal dress much like the respect commanding style of the police during the 1970's and 80's (but modernised of course).

I feel this would go quite some way to reversing the negative image the police have gained in recent years and increase public interactivity and cooperation with officers.