Düsseldorf (dpa/lnw) – Polo shirts as a new part of the police uniform in North Rhine-Westphalia have attracted numerous companies: 21 companies have applied for the large order, as the responsible state office for central police services (LZPD) announced on request. Each interested party must deliver 50 test samples in the coming months. The prototypes are expected to be tested in a “wearing test” in everyday police work in the summer. Only then will it be decided who will be awarded the final contract.

A delivery of up to 500,000 polo shirts in four years is planned. The shirts are to be delivered as a version for men and women, two-tone with the lettering “Police” on the chest and the state coat of arms on the sleeve.

Actually, everything should go faster, but according to the LZPD, the potential suppliers had pointed out the difficult situation on the world market: raw materials are scarce, transport routes are disrupted, energy is expensive. Therefore, the companies had been given more time for their offers. The companies have another four and a half months to deliver the prototypes.

With the polo shirts, the Ministry of the Interior is responding to a long-standing request from the workforce. In other federal states, they already exist as part of the summer uniform.