Tattoos and Police Dress Regulations - Robson Hall Faculty of Law

196 MANITOBA LAW JOURNAL|VOLUME 36 ISSUE 1
The survey also found that nearly 70% of those adults with tattoos
had more than one, with a full 18% having six or more. However, of
adults aged 30 and older who had tattoos, nearly half (47%) had just one.
Most adults with tattoos, regardless of age, didn’t display them publicly
with the vast majority (72%) indicating that their tattoos were not usually
visible. 7
Police departments are always recruiting. They target the current
generation, actively looking for outgoing, creative and enthusiastic young
adults to fill the ranks being vacated by retiring Baby Boomers. In fact the
majority of police officers serving today have less than ten years in the
police workplace, with the vast majority of them working front line
uniform duties. While there is a comprehensive scheme to regulate almost
every other facet of an officer’s appearance, tattoos are completely absent
from most police dress regulations in Canada.
A. Police Dress Regulations
Many workplaces have rules about dress, physical appearance and
some even specify the wearing of a particular uniform. Most police dress
regulations state that dress and deportment play a vital role in enhancing
both the public image of the police and the internal morale or esprit de
corps of its members.
To this end members are issued a specific uniform and are expected to
conform to a significant list of physical appearance standards dealing with
everything from the colour of an officer’s socks to their hair length
(including the length and size of beards, sideburns and moustaches), use of
makeup, wearing of jewelry and even mirrored sunglasses. Usually these
policies state that officers may only wear those articles of clothing and
equipment approved by the Chief of Police and while in uniform will not
wear pins, badges, ribbons or any adornments on their uniform which are
not approved by the Chief of Police. 8
7
Pew Research Centre, supra note 6 at 57-58.
8
See e.g. Vancouver Police Department, Regulations and Procedures Manual, Policy 5.4.7,
s 14 (2009) online: ,
which states that “Exceptions to the provisions of
"Personal Grooming and Appearance" as specified in this section may occur with
permission of the Chief Constable or designate for valid reasons (for example medical
or religious grounds).”