HM Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland found that while recently introduced kit designed to improve safety – including Tasers and body-worn video – had been welcomed by officers, there were numerous issues surrounding the standard-issue uniform.

Trousers given to both police officers and staff were found to be of poor quality, ill-fitting, rapidly faded in colour and lacked stretch.

Fleeces were described as too thin.

Jackets were badly designed to stop before the waist, leaving wearers exposed to rain.

Both male and female officers said the body armour they were given – although the most protective available – was bulky, too heavy and uncomfortable to wear, often riding up and hitting them on the chin when they sat in a vehicle.

The well-regarded boots that had once been part of the Police Scotland uniform have now been replaced by boots commonly described as looking “unprofessional”.

The report found it had become “normalised” for frontline police officers and staff to buy their own individual pieces of uniform rather than wear the items provided by Police Scotland.

HMICS recommends that the single force improves the quality and fit of its trousers, jackets, microfleeces and footwear.

HM Assistant Inspector of Constabulary in Scotland, Brian McInulty, said: “Frontline officers and staff are operating in remarkably challenging environments; they are the face of Police Scotland, and the quality of the service they provide affects the overall trust and confidence the public have in the police.

“Ensuring that officers and staff have access to uniform and equipment that is high-quality, comfortable and effective is of critical importance.

“Many officers and staff are purchasing their own items of uniform.

“This leads to a lack of uniformity across the service, and it is, quite frankly, unacceptable that officers and staff find themselves in this position.”

As part of their review HMICS inspectors interviewed officers and staff from across Police Scotland – ensuring a mix of those serving in urban, rural, island and remote communities.

They visited the Police Scotland stores site in Glasgow, and they spoke to groups including staff associations and trade unions.

They said there was a strong perception from those they interviewed that senior officers and those in specialist roles are provided with a better range and quality of uniform clothing.

The report states: “We heard repeated comments from frontline officers, staff and supervisors, that the choice and quality of uniform was poor – and we saw this first hand, with officers showing us faded trousers and torn microfleeces.

“There was a notion that all decisions on uniform and equipment provided to frontline officers were predicated on cost, ahead of quality.

“These views contrasted starkly with how officers interpreted the uniform supplied to specialist officers, and senior officers across Police Scotland, with a generally-held view that were was more investment in the range and quality of uniform available to these groups.”

The inspectors heard examples of crime scene managers wearing jackets that are widely regarded as a superior, long-lasting garment – while frontline officers, on a cordon for an entire shift, had to make do with an inferior-quality jacket.

The report states: “The general feeling is that the current system is unfair, and frontline officers should be equally, if not better, provisioned for the roles they perform.”

HMICS staff were told many female officers resort to ordering male sizes of trousers as a result of the lack of stretch and poor fit of the trousers they are offered in female sizes.

The report recommended Police Scotland should seek alternative standard issue trousers that are made of higher quality, stretchable materials that accommodate diverse body types, including a proper fit for females.

It also recommended they improve awareness and availability of items of uniform designed for officers with specific requirements or medical conditions including pregnancy and menopausal symptoms.

It said officers reported mixed views about the different types of police hat available – formal flat, formal bowler and baseball – with the formal hats being seen as giving a more professional image, but the baseball cap more comfortable to wear.

It said Police Scotland had been considering the option of a gender-neutral hat, but no decision on such a design had yet been made.