Officers with the Lafayette (IN) Police Department will now be able to grow facial hair and reveal tattoos while on duty following a change in the agency's policy on appearance.
The Philadelphia Fraternal Order of Police lost in its bid to defend officers who have visible tattoos that some might construe as offensive following an incident in which an officer was seen in a short-sleeve uniform shirt revealing a tattoo some argued was a Nazi symbol.
The Norfolk (VA) Police Department announced on Monday that it is ending its restrictions on full facial hair and visible tattoos.
The Upland (CA) Police Department was trying to get the message across that the agency welcomes recruits with visible "sleeve" tattoos—which some agencies still refuse to consider—when they posted a picture on Facebook, but the online response was not exactly what they expected.
The FBI is investigating a secret society of tattooed deputies in East Los Angeles as well as similar gang-like groups elsewhere within the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
Officers with the Pittsburg (CA) Police Department can now display tattoos on duty as the chief of the department says the ban on visible tattoos had become outdated.
The Corinth (TX) Police Department has loosened its policy on tattoos for its officers.
An autopsy shows a man who killed one San Antonio police officer and wounded another had opiates in his body and a tattoo of a tombstone on his wrist reading "RIP COPS."
Directive 6.7 is scheduled to take effect March 1 and will prohibit Philadelphia officers from having any tattoos that are "offensive, extremist, indecent, racist or sexist while on duty," according to a copy of the policy.
The Police Department also said its Internal Affairs unit would review the photo, which was circulated on Twitter Wednesday night by a woman who has posted many anti-police tweets.