Tattooed Police Officers

[sandyRoe]

Was there once a regulation that police shouldn't have visible tattoos? Judging from some on Neighbourhood Blues on BBC this morning it must have been rescinded.

[shoota]

It was one of the regulations that slowly dropped off the board (along with minimum heights) as discrimination laws became popular and it became harder to attract decent recruits.

[wolf63]

I applied to join Tayside Police when I left school. They turned me down for being too short. I would get in now. Or would be twice my intended size and being Bipolar count for or against me?

I joined the civil service and just sort of stayed there until my health became problematic.

For the last dozen years or so I have been planning my next move!

[andy-hughes]

I think cultural attitudes to tattoos have changed within the space of a generation.

When I was growing up, the only tattoos you saw were on men who had been in the forces and been on a drunken night out and hit a tat parlour. They had the usual bluebird on the hand, maybe a design on the chest, but nowhere else.

Then came a generation of youngsters who had tattoos to show they were 'hard' - 'Cut Here' around the neck and similar, which meant that tattoos were associated with trouble - many nightclubs would refuse admission to men (it was never women!) who had visible tattoos.

Now, tattoos are extremely common for both sexes, and the stigma has simply vanished. They are no longer associated with brutish attitudes, so it appears fine that police officers have them.

The police officer who attended after our burglary last week had a set of tribal inkings on his arms, they suited him, he was six feet four, very buff and very handsome.

I am all in favour - I love people expressing themselves, and I hate people who judge by appearances.

[THECORBYLOON]

This is what the Police Service of Scotland says,

"Tattoos do not prohibit you from becoming a Police Officer, however tattoos on the face are not acceptable other than for religous or medical reasons. In addition, tattoos, whether visible or otherwise, should not:
-undermine the dignity and authority of the office of constable;
-cause offence to members of the public or colleagues and/or invite provocation;
-indicate unacceptable attitudes towards any individual or section of the community;
-indicate alignment with a particular group which could give offence to members of the public or colleagues; and
-be considered inflammatory, rude, lewd, crude, racist, sexist, sectarian, homophobic, violent or intimidating."

[anneasquith]

Susan, with you're bipolar diagnosis I'd think you would be an ideal modern police person. :-)

[douglas9401]

'Tribal'. Hahahahaha!

[andy-hughes]

That explains why I got turned down when they say my tattoo of an owl with the caption 'F8"k Off!' underneath it.

I told them it was irritable owl syndrome!!!!!!!


Eye thenk yoauuuuuuu!!!!


Tell your friends, I'm here all week!!!!

[andy-hughes]

douglas - //'Tribal'. Hahahahaha! // - ?

[wolf63]

Anne - I am probably too sane for the job now, but then Perth isn't exactly the centre of the crime universe. Dundee is scary - my last dog came from Brown Street Kennels.

[THECORBYLOON]

Mines was a bird of prey vomiting but the police said it was an ill eagle tattoo...

[Jackdaw33]

I was told that the bluebird on the hand meant that you had done 'bird', i.e. spent time in prison.

[aelmpvw]

bit unfair on the budding police cadets who had their privates tattooed before the rules were relaxed ...

[Mamyalynne]

//Bluebird Tattoo Meanings - The bluebird -- like the swallow with which it's often associated -- is a favourite nautical symbol of good luck. As a nautical tattoo design, the bluebird has sometimes been mistaken within popular culture for the swallow, or swift, and the two very different species of birds have quite similar colouring, with bright accents of blue and orange, verging to both red and yellow. In mythology, the bluebird is the universally acknowledged sign of happiness, prosperity, good health, and the arrival of spring. The beautiful blue of its plumage is associated with the sky and eternal happiness. Unlike the swallow, it does not have a 'dark' side.//

[silliemillie]

Andy - you say 'the stigma has simply vanished' well I don't think it totally has, I often hear older people tutting and making remarks when they see a tatood person go by, especially girls.

[Peter Pedant]

// I was told that the bluebird on the hand meant that you had done 'bird', i.e. spent time in prison.//

so was I - clearly not at the same time

love-hate is meant to be the same - self done as the cons are so bored in the slammer

this came up (ish) in the Hanratty murder ( this is to you Jackie as otherwise I will get 50 000 posts of " Han-what-ty ? " mixed with "Han-hoo-ey ? " ) in erm 1962. we know from DNA he did in fact 'do' it. The murderer said to Valerie Gregston that he had done the full bird at Borstal - ( "Borse-wha'?") which meant he had served the full term.

The police found that only six men in england had done the full bird and one was .... Hanratty.

oh well a little colour to brighten an wet afternoon