ARLINGTON, Texas — It’s heating up across North Texas, and many of us are ditching the long sleeves for T-shirts and tank tops. But what about police officers?
To address this issue, the Arlington Police Department announced a change to its tattoo policy Monday, saying officers with approved designs will now have the option to display them while wearing their authorized uniforms.
Arlington police hopes the change will enhance their employees’ quality of work life and also provide the opportunity to hire more people who are looking to join the force.
“APD won’t miss out on well-qualified applicants who may not have been keen on working here because they’d have to wear long sleeves/pants during the warmest parts of the year to cover their tattoos,” the department said in a Facebook post.
Not only will officers be able to have the choice to show their artwork, but the department also announced employees will be able to grow and display facial hair within certain guidelines.
Arlington police said it doesn’t believe either change will take away from the department’s quality of service, professionalism or how they interact with the public. The department points to progress and will “continue servicing the Arlington community with integrity, compassion and fairness.”
Other North Texas police departments have not announced tattoo policy changes.
According to the Dallas Police Department website, officers and applicants are currently not allowed to display tattoos. They must be covered by a long-sleeve uniform shirt. Read more here. And the Irving Police Department has a similar policy in place.