Trooper Jim Long wears a specially designed face mask that matches the gray color scheme of the troopers' uniforms. State police in Butler began wearing the masks last week.

A touch more gray has been added to the standard trooper attire.

State police in Butler last week began wearing specially designed face masks that were adopted to match the gray color scheme of the troopers' uniforms.

The instantly recognizable state police uniform patch is also embroidered on the side of the mask.

Ensuring the troopers have a “uniform look,” said Trooper Jim Long, a public information officer at Troop D Butler, was one reason for the new masks.

Previously, black was the chosen color for troopers' face coverings, after Gov. Tom Wolf's order, which went into effect April 19, required all so-called essential workers and customers at life-sustaining businesses to wear masks to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

“The (Pennsylvania State Troopers Association) issued those (black) masks for us as a courtesy for the members” Long noted.

The new masks, he said, made of 100 percent Egyptian cotton, are an upgrade.

“You can just tell by looking at them that they are a higher quality,” he said. “They're antibacterial, reusable, and water and fluid repellent. The other ones were basically just cloth and they didn't look like they would be suitable for longtime use.The new masks, he added, “look like they could last quite some time.” They also are more identifiable.“It definitely looks more professional,” Long said. “Having the patch on it, and they way it matches with the uniform, helps.”According to state police history, the color gray was conceived by the first commissioner, Superintendent John C. Groome, in 1905, and has been incorporated into the uniform ever since.But looks aside, the new masks also are more “user friendly” for the wearer.“The old ones were really, really tight for an average adult male,” Long said. “These ones have adjustable ear straps, so that makes it a little bit more comfortable.”According to a department email July 28, the face masks are first being distributed to enlisted personnel. Masks for civilian personnel will come later.“Protective face mask wearing continues to provide an enhanced level of protection for personnel, our families and the public,” the email said. “These new masks provide a professional appearance for our personnel when interacting with the public and exhibit our willingness to 'lead by example' to the community.”<iframe width="100%" height="450" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CgBJAzwOt6c" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Jim smith photoThe Pennsylvania State Police last week began distributing specially designed face masks to enlisted members. The masks were adopted to match the gray color scheme of the officer´s uniform and feature the recognizable state police uniform patch embroidered on the side.