Police say zero tolerance for camouflage fashion

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Police say they will be on the lookout for people wearing camouflage clothing during the remainder of carnival festivities here.

The wearing of any camouflage material is strictly prohibited in the state of Antigua & Barbuda, and anyone found wearing camouflage clothing face having law enforcement officers seize it.

Public Relations Officer Inspector Frankie Thomas while speaking on state radio today reminded people that it is an offence to wear camouflage paraphernalia and called people engaged in the practice to immediately desist.

He says, “the Uniform Act 1997 clearly states that no one should be seen wearing camouflage clothing especially assigned to the Antigua and Barbuda defence force.”

Vendors and store owners were cautioned by the police inspector to not only desist from selling but to avoid having camouflage in their possession.

The police PRO says since the defence force will be working alongside the police force during the festive season, they are seeking to avoid mix up.

Thomas says the force is seeking to avoid the confusion with mistake identity during street parades and other carnival activities.

He says, “We are working alongside them to suppress the crime situation and more so to be on the ground with us during the last lap, J’ouvert and obviously the street parade. We want no confusion with mistaken identity with regards to who is authorised as opposed to those who just maliciously wants to parade in camouflage.”

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10 COMMENTS

  1. How did these camouflage clothing pass through our boarders (custom) and ended up in the stores for sale?

  2. This law is dumb. How is this a problem? How was it ever a problem? How many times has someone wearing camouflage clothing been “mistaken” for a defense force officer? I mean… If you’re wearing a camo shirt, pants and boots… I get it… But that’s not happening!

  3. Mike ……when the law was passed a lot of crimes were been committed with people wearing that uniform hence the reason for that law.

  4. The law is truly dumb… u want to address crime do so. But not a fashion statement… how about drafting hard penalties for anyone comitting a crime using a fire arm/deadly weapon, or anyone wearing camouflaged material to commit a crime… stop treating criminals like school kids, u break a law with violence the hammer should fall extremely hard on you. Not someone going on a lime with friends to have fun wearing designer camo….. this needs to be redrafted.

  5. “Thomas says the force is seeking to avoid the confusion with mistake identity during street parades and other carnival activities.”

    How often is a woman in camo bootie shorts mistaken for a defense force officer? GTFOH. Police only strict on low hanging fruit like this and weed, while real crime runs amok

  6. The quote states that no one should be seen wearing camoflage clothing ESPECIALLY assigned to the police force. We are aware that there are different versions of camp along with different colors. Therefore, the statute can be interpreted to mean that the form of Camilo worn must not reflect the exact assigned to defense force. Either way, this is a silly issue!

  7. Have any crime ever been committed against any of you or your family by someone wearing Police or Army Camouflage? Have any of you been shot at by anyone wearing this type of Clothing…… I can agree that some officers take it to mean any item of clothing, the act was passed during a truly trying time for law enforcement here and it did at the time make sense.

  8. The law states that no one is to be seen wearing it, but does it state that it cannot be in your possession? Customs allowed it in the country to be sold, but they STOLE my items from my suitcase. How bout look for name tags, badges, rank pins and stars, weapons? Look for anything that identifies an officer of the defense force, not camouflage jeggings. I still want my pants back!

  9. This copy cat law has no basis on facts or reason. Why aren’t knives illegal as the knife is used for more wounding, rapes and robberies than any other implement. Since 1997, robbers still use camouflage clothing from time to time. Obviously, the law did nothing to stop criminals.
    A soldier’s uniform consists of many parts…trousers, shirt, boots and so on. So…how can anyone think a woman in a camouflage PUMPUM shorts is actually a soldier?
    A murder was recently committed and we were told the killers impersonated Special Opps Police who wear blue coveralls. Will those be banned too?
    Time to repeal that senseless law.

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