A navy blue wool uniform makes a crisp statement of authority and tradition.

But like much of the Spokane Police Department’s long-entrenched culture, that worsted weave has proved too stiff and ineffective. Police officers often find these uniforms sweltering in the summer, freezing on cold, damp winter days, and uncomfortable all year round.

Last week the department announced it would allow officers to switch to tailored navy blue jumpsuits in a new, high-tech fabric. They’re breathable, easily layered and durable. In fact, jumpsuit designers report, these uniforms are so much more comfortable that they boost department morale. Some police unions even make them a bargaining point.

Police officers face enough sources of irritation, not to mention downright danger, in their daily line of work. The fabric of their uniforms shouldn’t be one more.

The jumpsuits, which are custom-made by a company called Bratwear, based in Fife, Wash., are easily layered for warmth on cold days. They’re designed not to rip or tear when an officer climbs a fence or kneels on the gravel beside an accident victim. The fabric is wrinkle-, stain- and water-resistant.

Local female police officers, in particular, find them so much more effective that they’ve paid for them out of their own pockets. These jumpsuits are not cheap. They cost nearly $400 apiece. But the department expects to save money in the long run. That’s because the jumpsuits last longer and can be laundered at home, reducing the SPD’s current dry cleaning bills.

This news came in the same week that the department announced it would seek more than $4 million in federal grants for technology improvements, such as the electronic ticketing and rugged laptops it uses now. All of these upgrades have the potential to make the department more modern and professional.

While the crisp blue wool look of tradition will continue for administrators and officers who prefer it, others should no longer find themselves sweltering on hot asphalt in August. Neither should they wind up shivering on the perimeter of a winter investigation, soaked by snow and smelling like wet dog fur.

Those are traditions not a soul could miss.