The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office says it’s reinstating striped uniforms to help keep track of inmates.
A Sheriff’s Office spokesman says orange uniforms are also worn by inmates from state prisons, creating a security threat at hospitals where state inmates are unsupervised.
Inmates wore stripes at Maricopa County jails until shortly after Sheriff Joe Arpaio left office about 10 years ago. Now, Arpaio’s former chief deputy is bringing them back.
The spokesman also says it’s simply time for the Sheriff’s Office to replace the orange uniforms, and officials decided to switch back to black and white stripes.
Saving money was the reason orange was chosen in 2017.
Records show that striped uniforms with minimal stenciling are cheaper than the orange uniforms with more stenciling. But the savings are mostly wiped out by tariffs.
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