The Loudoun County (VA) Sheriff's Office is changing their uniforms from the traditional brown shirt and tan pants to a tan shirt and brown pants. They will also be changing from stiff polyester pants to cotton cargo pants with lots of extra pockets. The benefits of the change are clear: increased officer moral, increased comfort, increased utility, and a savings of 10% on their wardrobe budget. In fact, the only drawback is the uniform change violates state law.

According to a 1960s-era state law, deputies must wear brown shirts or blouses, taupe trousers, a Smokey the Bear-type hat and other complementary accessories. White shirts are allowed in warmer months. Badges are left to the sheriff's discretion.

The law is a holdover from the Gomer and Goober Pyle days when deputies may have tried to get away with wearing blue jeans or flannel shirts. But Attorney General Jerry Kilgore says the wording is clear and that changing the uniforms would be a violation of state law. Kilgore doesn't have any plans to enforce the statute, and unless someone filed a complaint it is pretty much unenforceable. (Although a disgruntled speeder might be able to push the issue.)

I agree with the Sheriff's Office that the law is silly and should probably be repealed. But that doesn't mean that they should have the leeway to just ignore the statute. How would you feel if you were pulled over for making a "California stop" at an intersection and the deputy is wearing an illegal uniform? Why should you be expected to obey the law when he clearly is not?

I think that rather than move forward with the new uniforms, Loudoun should press the Legislature to repeal the statute when they come back next year. The benefits are clear and the General Assembly should have no heartburn about striking the law from the books.