What The Colour of a Shirt Says About Culture in Policing

Symbols matter. In any organization, the visible signs of culture send powerful messages about what the organization values. And the police uniform is a prime example.

For officers, the uniform is a source of pride and identity, acting as a symbol of teamwork and cohesion. But it’s also a visible marker of hierarchy, reinforcing the divide between frontline officers and managers. This contrast between unity and division is woven directly into the fabric of police culture.

In Canadian policing, the difference between blue-collar worker and white-collar manager is literal. Rank-and-file officers generally wear dark blue shirts, while senior officers wear white. In recent years, police services across Canada have made different choices about these uniform distinctions, and these decisions reveal a lot about their priorities and values—not to mention the kind of cultures they represent.

Artifacts and the Stories They Tell

In studies of organizational culture, symbols like uniforms are considered “artifacts.” As McShane, Steen, and Tasa explain, “artifacts are the essence of organizational culture” that give clues about an organization’s beliefs and assumptions.

To outsiders, the uniform signals authority and professionalism. To insiders, it denotes role and rank. For many officers, it’s a point of personal pride. Dr. José Luís (Joe) Couto , in his study of Canadian police identity, captures this perfectly: "Police officers maintain a sense of pride in putting on the uniform, the symbols and rituals of the profession,… and the solidarity involved in being a police officer."

But uniforms don’t just unite—they also divide. In Canada, subtle uniform distinctions represent differences in both jurisdiction and authority:

• Pant Stripes: Red for municipal officers, blue for provincial officers, black for supervisors, and yellow for Mounties.
• Hats: City officers wear forage or eight-point caps, while highway patrol and state troopers wear campaign hats.
• Shirts: Most notably, blue for frontline officers and white for managers.

These distinctions aren’t accidental. They're intentional choices that reflect and reinforce hierarchies in policing.

Blue-Collar Work

For decades now, researchers have regularly documented a theme in police culture: the divide between frontline officers and their managers (or "White Shirts").

Rank-and-file officers often feel disconnected from their managers, who they view as detached from the realities of frontline police work. In her book, Police Culture in a Changing World, Dr. Bethan Loftus explains that, “The most common complaint of the rank and file is that their superiors are detached from the 'sharp end' of operational policing.”

Uniform distinctions, like the white shirts worn by senior officers, symbolize this separation, making it impossible to ignore who belongs where in the organizational structure.

Interestingly, the military—a similarly hierarchical institution—takes a different approach. While rank is clearly indicated by elaborate rank insignia, the general uniform remains consistent across all levels. This creates a sense of shared purpose and unity despite varying levels of seniority.

A Tale of Two Cities

The Toronto Police Service (TPS) and Peel Regional Police are two great examples of how uniform policies represent organizational culture.

Just last year, Peel Regional Police chose to get rid of the distinction altogether. At the direction of Chief Nishan Duraiappah, who aspires to create “the most progressive, innovative, and inclusive service in the galaxy,” senior commanders now wear the same blue shirts as frontline officers. Duraiappah explained that this decision was meant “To help loosen up a top-down, hierarchical system that he felt was stifling progress.”

On the other hand, TPS actually expanded their use and now include staff sergeants in the "White Shirt" category. What was once a marker of senior management now represents middle management too. While the rationale for this decision hasn't been made clear, it further entrenches the symbolic divide between worker and manager.

Sweater Weather

This isn’t the first time TPS has doubled down on division. At the end of the 2010s, the service introduced a new sweater to replace its outdated wool design from the 1990s. Surprisingly, managers were among the first to be seen wearing the updated sweater, while some frontline officers waited years to get theirs.

To an outsider, this might seem trivial. But to those on the front lines, it sent a clear message. Even small moments like these can undermine cohesion. And when organizations consistently highlight differences between managers and workers in this way, those differences become hard to ignore.

What Police Leaders Can Learn

The uniform is more than a piece of clothing. It also serves as a statement to an organization's members about what matters, and what doesn't.

Leaders in policing (and elsewhere) should ask themselves:

• What do our symbols say about us?
• Are we fostering a shared purpose or reinforcing divides?
• How can we leverage symbols to build cohesion in our teams?

Symbols matter. In policing, where teamwork, trust, and collaboration are essential, uniform policies that amplify differences between workers and managers can undermine these goals. Peel’s decision to remove uniform distinctions is a step toward inclusivity, while Toronto's expansion of white shirts is a step in the opposite direction.

Both choices send clear messages to their teams.