Men’s and women’s new uniform 1976. From left Chief Superintendent B. W. Gibson; Constable L. Tideswell (women's uniform); Sergeant J. A. Franklin modelling male constable's uniform; Sergeant C. I. Beattie modelling superintendent's uniform. The files relating to this uniform change do not appear to have survived. However, Michael Burnside, son of K. B. Burnside, the commissioner who initiated the change, remembers his father deliberately choosing to move away from the old dark blue to lighten up the image of the police and stress their civilian role. This uniform was introduced very quickly rather than being phased in as had always been usual. The Bulletin, March 1976
Points to note, apart from the change in colour to vitric blue, are: addition of lower flapped, unbuttoned pockets to commissioned officer's tunic and addition of gorget patches to chief
superintendent; removal of belts from all tunics; women's skirt simple A-line instead of box pleats; new women's felt hat (white version provided for summer); short zip-fronted jacket for male constables; buttoned fabric epaulettes replace traditional twisted or braided cord ones; register number now affixed to epaulettes; a new woven 'NZ Police' coat of arms crest at top of sleeve.
Alexander Turnbull Library Pictures, Evening Post Collection: 10/4 N. Z Legal: Police (Police Uniform) 4957 20 November 1975
