What Uniform Will Chief Clunis Wear?

I'm here for the honours

I once asked but really never found out an answer what the standard is and how decisions are made on what uniforms senior officers of Winnipeg Police service wear and when they wear them. Watching Chief Clunis, I am still curious what uniform comes out and why.

Some uniforms are obviously worn for days when honours are given and not for just showing up for a work day. Expect a high collar and buttons up to the top in a true blue military style shirt with black pants and red stripe down. When Chief Clunis was announced as chief, the high collar came out.

Fancy meal dress

If a fancy meal is order, the tux is under a very dressy blue police jacket with lapels and epaulettes. If the Chief Clunis is to be in attendance at an awards banquet, he pulls the tux out.

Just one of the guys in blue today

Sometimes Chief Clunis wants to just appear as one of the guys in blue. One can never be sure of what day that will be. However, when that happens, it is a dark shirt and black tie.

If the Chief thinks it a day to be a boss, the white shirt and black tie come out.

I'm the boss today

When does the decision come that senior officers like the chief are the boss and when are they just guys in blue? Not quite sure. I assume that they call each other at home and ask: is it blue or white today?

Hey, it's summer...we're not crazy

Sometimes you need to appear as the brass but it's summer. Well, senior officers are not crazy, they have white and blue short sleeves shirts and no ties. But who decides? If it is cool in morning and deputy wears long sleeves and black tie and chief wears short sleeves and no tie, does the deputy get sent home to fix the problem? What if one wears blue and the other white? Oh my.

This is business or religion or one of my guys has done bad

There are times the chief ditches the uniform altogether. This doesn't mean he is not chief anymore.

If Chief Clunis talks to the mayor about budget, it is manno et manno in business suits. If the Chief talks about religion and policing, it is back to suit as well.

And especially if an officer has done bad, expect the police uniform to be hanging in the closet and the suit is on.

How do these decisions get made? Beats me but someone makes them every day. It is been happening for a while if one looks at past pictures of chiefs.