El Monte : Officers Get the Blues

The 106 sworn members of the El Monte Police Department have become the men and women in blue again. After nearly 30 years in tan, the department changed last week to navy blue. In the late 1950s, the city dropped the blue in favor of tan for reasons no one in the department’s high command seems to remember.

Capt. Leon Hansen said last week’s change was made because blue is considered more visible than tan. Hansen added that the move follows a trend toward the use of blue by local police departments, leaving the tan and khaki hues to county and state law enforcement agencies.

The new department wardrobe will cost $40,000, Hansen said. The El Monte Police Officers Assn. will pay $15,000 and the city the rest, he said. The old uniforms will be donated to El Monte’s sister city of Zamora, Mexico.