Wiltshire Police spent more than £1.2 million on uniforms over the past three financial years, according to new figures released through the Freedom of Information Act.
The data, compiled by Custom Embroidered Patches UK, shows the force spent £1,219,178 on uniform procurement between the 2023/24 and 2025/26 financial years.
Although annual spending fell during the period, the figures highlight the ongoing cost of keeping frontline officers equipped.
The force spent £472,132 during 2023/24, followed by £432,300 in 2024/25 before falling to £314,746 in 2025/26.
The Freedom of Information response also revealed expenditure on police badges, with Wiltshire Police spending £6,462.39 in 2023/24. That rose to £8,359.63 the following year before reducing to £5,399.06 in 2025/26.
According to the findings, Wiltshire Police allows some unmarked, serviceable uniform items to be sold back to staff, helping recover a small proportion of replacement costs.
However, protective equipment including body armour and helmets is destroyed when no longer suitable for use, while worn or damaged clothing such as shirts, trousers and coats is shredded and recycled into packaging material where it cannot be reused.
The report argues that the need to replace specialist equipment on a continual basis contributes significantly to long-term procurement costs.
Compared with neighbouring forces, Wiltshire’s overall expenditure was lower.
Devon and Cornwall Police recorded the highest total in the South West after Avon and Somerset, spending almost £2.9 million on uniforms over the same three-year period. Avon and Somerset Police recorded the region’s highest expenditure, with more than £4.5 million spent between 2023/24 and 2025/26.
Dorset Police spent just over £1.14 million, with its policy allowing suitable returned garments to be reissued, donated or securely recycled where appropriate.
Thomas Green, Founder and Director of Custom Embroidered Patches UK, said police forces should continue exploring ways of extending the life of serviceable uniform.
“These numbers highlight the truly staggering financial burden that regional police forces currently face when equipping their officers for the front line.
“When millions of pounds of public money are spent year upon year, the logistical challenge is clear, but these costs could be drastically reduced.
“Specialised police garments cannot simply be discarded due to severe security risks. It is absolutely vital that constabularies continue to adopt robust recycling strategies, ensuring taxpayer money is protected.”
While the figures provide an insight into the cost of uniform procurement, they do not indicate whether spending represents an increase or decrease in the number of officers, changes to equipment requirements or wider operational demands during the period. As with all police forces, uniforms and protective equipment must meet strict operational and safety standards, with many items unsuitable for reuse once they reach the end of their service life.
