CALGARY ? Executives, politicians, senior citizens ? it?s not hard to find someone proudly sporting a tattoo these days.
But if you?re a member of the Medicine Hat Police, you?ll have to continue keeping your ink under wraps.
As workplaces everywhere deal with the popularity of body art, the southern Alberta force this week chose to uphold a policy requiring members to cover up any tattoos, brands and body art while on duty.
Medicine Hat Police Chief Andy McGrogan cited a recent poll of residents which found ?a strong link? between satisfaction with police and appearance of the officers.
?In our community, they made it quite clear they did not want officers coming to the door with tattoos on their neck and green hair,? he said.
The force has a blanket ban to avoid having to judge each tattoo to determine whether it?s offensive or acceptable.
?I don?t want to be the tattoo police,? he said.
It?s not an uncommon discussion for police forces, businesses or bureaucrats to have these days given the prevalence of Celtic symbols and Chinese characters etched in flesh.
In Calgary, police officers are allowed to show off their tattoos as long as they are not ?offensive.?
Their policy, in place since December 2009, requires members project a ?professional and unbiased image? and encourages them to limit the placement of tattoos to places on the body that can be covered up in a police uniform.
Tattoos deemed offensive, unprofessional, or ones that ?undermine the dignity or authority of law enforcement,? must be covered up.
The police chief has final say on what?s acceptable.
?We know we have lots of officers with tattoos, and some decide to cover them up,? said Mike Inglis, regimental sergeant major for the service.
Police forces around the world adhere to different policies regarding officer appearance.
Candidates hoping to join the Metropolitan Police in the United Kingdom must supply photographs of their tattoos in their application form.
And the New York State Police prohibits their officers from sporting visible tattoos, brands, body piercings and other art while in uniform.
Ald. Shane Keating, who represents Calgary?s Ward 12, said he?s not against visible tattoos on police officers as long as they are tasteful.
Keating said he and his two sons got matching leg tattoos of their family crest ahead of a family reunion.
?Originally I said I didn?t really like it because I don?t really like tattoos, and this is probably the only one I?ll ever get,? he said.
?But it?s not a questionable tattoo and it represents my heritage.?
Steve Peace, owner of Immaculate Concept Tattoo and Piercing in Calgary, said you can?t stereotype who gets tattooed anymore.
?We do everyone of every occupation ? lawyers, doctors, cops,? said Peace, who?s also the organizer of the Calgary Tattoo and Arts Festival.
When he first opened his shop, it was one of eight in the city. There are now over 100 tattoo parlours across the city, he said.
Reality shows like TLC?s Miami Ink have raised the profile of tattoo artists and many Olympians etch the interlocking rings on their skin.
? Copyright (c) The Calgary Herald
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