( CNN ) Some of the men and women of the Indianapolis police force are giving up their blues . Beginning Friday , blue uniform shirts will be traded for white ones for command staff members of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department ( IMPD ) . In a statement , the department said the change is being made as part of its constant effort to ensure `` accountability , professionalism and transparency ... at the forefront of our day-to-day activities . '' As police departments around the country see more protests over the use of lethal force , IMPD officials acknowledge that this is a time of `` increased scrutiny of police operations and tactics , '' but said the decision to change the uniform for certain ranks within the department is `` not related to any specific , individual incident occurring elsewhere in the United States . '' Although it 's not a total uniform makeover , police officials said the white shirts will make command-level staff immediately identifiable to those who do n't recognize the rank badges on officers ' collars , the statement said . The new color will be worn by majors , district commanders , deputy chiefs , assistant chiefs and the chief of police . `` Command staff personnel have the responsibility of publicly leading from the front , while being accessible to the members of the general public they serve , '' the statement said . `` Those wearing white uniform shirts can and should be viewed as the final point of contact to the police department . '' Some studies have shown that while any police uniform is usually perceived by the public as a sign of authority , lighter-colored uniforms may give a sense of goodness and safety .
Beginning Friday , some ranks of the Indianapolis police department will wear white shirts . Police say the change in attire is not related to any specific incident . The new uniform shirt color is aimed at ensuring accountability .