Banned! Yard chief lays down the law on tattooed officers
ASPIRING police officers with tattoos that cannot be covered up have been barred from joining Britain’s largest force.
Scotland Yard Commissioner Bernard Hogan-Howe said tattoos that can be seen by the public ‘damage the professional image’ of the Metropolitan Police.
The ban comes amid increasing concern among senior ranks nationwide over complaints from crime victims that some young officers appear ‘thuggish’.
Tattoos on the face, or visible above a collar line, or on the hands are not permitted under the new rules. Other tattoos must be covered.
All staff with existing tattoos defined as ‘ visible’ – tattoos that cannot be covered by everyday clothing – must formally declare them, and failure to do so could lead to their being sacked.
The Met is believed to be the first force to impose such a ban and others are likely to follow.
However, representatives of rank- and- file officers claim associating tattoos with criminals is old- fashioned and police should reflect the public they serve.
A Police Federation official said: ‘Some see them as artwork and some don’t. They are popular with footballers and pop stars. Many people we deal with also have them.’
Last year Ian Pointon, chairman of the Kent Police Federation, said tattoos can act as an ‘ icebreaker’ when dealing with the public and do not carry a stigma.