A NEW national standard for uniform that promises to strike a balance between professional image and freedom of expression has been set up.<\/p>\n
The guidance, published this month, addresses the issue of body art after it emerged that some forces had automatic bans on police officers with tattoos.<\/p>\n
Hundreds of Police Federation members took part in a survey last year about the inconsistent approach to tattoos across forces, and the wider issue of variable dress codes.<\/p>\n
Former Police Federation of England and Wales Interim National Board member Victoria Martin, who led on the work, said: \u201cWe need to reflect the communities we serve and the fact that we are a modern police service.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe had a lot of passionate feedback from our members on this issue, demonstrating that some force dress policies are very out-dated, so we set about gathering the evidence we needed to push for a new national standard.<\/p>\n
\u201cOne of the biggest issues we faced is the way some forces view officers and potential new recruits with tattoos – some forces will not accept a person with a tattoo that cannot be covered by uniform.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis approach is significantly restricting the pool of potential talent, as one in five 18-29 year-olds has a tattoo. In 30-39 year-olds it\u2019s one in four, while according to our survey 48% of officers have a tattoo.<\/p>\n
\u201cJust as important is the fact that it shouldn\u2019t be mandatory for officers with tattoos to wear long-sleeved tops, particularly during the summer when they have to wear a lot of kit. It is a health and safety issue.\u201d<\/p>\n
A spokesman from the College of Policing, which developed the guidance, said: \u201cThe national guidance will help forces across England and Wales to take a consistent approach to appearance standards for officers and staff.<\/p>\n
“The document aims to provide a clear and comprehensive guidance on appearance to present a professional image, achieve and maintain standards and also allow for a level of self-expression.\u201d<\/p>\n