Connecticut State Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection

Tattoo Policy

A. POLICY

(1) The Connecticut State Police recognizes the personal appearance of its sworn uniform personnel, when in the public eye, has a direct impact on public confidence and thereby on the ability of individual personnel to perform their official duties. It is the policy of the Connecticut State Police that sworn uniform members maintain a professional appearance that will encourage public confidence in the members of this Department. As such, the following policy will apply to sworn members of the Connecticut State Police.

B. DEFINITIONS

(1) Body Modification — Means, but is not limited to: tongue splitting or bifurcation, the complete or trans-dermal implantation of any object(s) (other than hair replacement), abnormal shaping of the ears, eyes, nose, abnormal filing of teeth, branding or scarification.

(a) The above definition includes facial piercings to include, but not limited to tongue piercings, lip piercings, nose piercings and brow piercings.

(b) Body modification shall not include those procedures medically necessitated by deformity or injury, or generally accepted cosmetic changes/ augmentations performed by a licensed medical professional.

C. BODY MODIFICATIONS AND TATTOOS

(1) Body modification to any area of the body that is visible while on-duty in any authorized uniform or attire is prohibited.

(2) The use of gold, platinum or other dental veneers or caps for the purpose of ornamentation while on-duty is prohibited. Teeth, whether natural, capped, or veneer shall not be ornamented with designs, jewels, initials, etc.

(3) Body piercing jewelry not concealed by any authorized uniform or approved attire while on-duty is prohibited with the exception of earrings worn in compliance with A&O manual § 14.01.01.

(a) The wearing of any facial jewelry to include, but not limited to tongue piercings, lip piercings, nose piercings, brow piercings by any sworn member of the department while on-duty is prohibited.

(4) No sworn member of the department shall have any tattoo, scarification or brand that is considered extremist.

(a) Extremist tattoos, scarifications or brands are those affiliated with, depicting, or symbolizing extremist philosophies, organizations, or activities. Extremist philosophies, organizations, and activities are those which advocate racial, gender or ethnic hatred or intolerance; advocate, create, or engage in illegal discrimination based on race, color, gender, ethnicity, religion, or national origin; or advocate violence or other unlawful means of depriving individual rights under the U.S. Constitution, Federal, or State law. For purposes of this policy, extremist shall also refer to indecent, sexist and racist.

1. Indecent tattoos, scarifications or brands are those that are grossly offensive to modesty, decency, or propriety; shock the moral sense because of their vulgar, filthy, or disgusting nature or tendency to incite lustful thought; or tend reasonably to corrupt morals or incite libidinous thoughts.

2. Sexist tattoos, scarifications or brands are those that advocate a philosophy that degrades or demeans a person based on gender, but that may not meet the same definition of "indecent."

3. Racist tattoos, scarifications or brands are those that advocate a philosophy that degrades or demeans a person based on race, ethnicity, or national origin.

(5) No sworn member shall have any tattoo, scarification or brand that is visible while on-duty in the Class "B" summer uniform.

(a) Any sworn member hired on or after March 1, 2019 having such tattoo, scarification or brand normally visible while in the Class "B" summer uniform shall cover such mark(s) while on-duty and in the Class "B" summer uniform via the use of a flesh-tone or solid black covering (free of any designs or logos) that shall be provided by the sworn member. The sworn member shall ensure such covering remains clean, in good working condition, and professionally presentable to the public while worn. Said covering shall be subject to inspection by a supervisor to ensure compliance and satisfactory appearance.

1. For purposes of this section, sworn members joining the Connecticut State Police on or after March 1, 2019 who had prior service in a civilian capacity within the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection, or other prior state service in any capacity, shall be subject to the same cover-up provisions as sworn members without prior state service.

(b) Under no circumstances shall any sworn member hired after March 1, 2019 have a tattoo, scarification or brand on his or her face, neck or hands.

(c) Under no circumstances shall any incumbent sworn member be allowed to have any additional tattoo, scarification or brand on his or her face, neck or hands.

(d) Incumbent sworn personnel shall not be required to remove or cover existing tattoos, branding, or body art that existed prior to March 1, 2019, so long as such tattoos, brandings, or body art were otherwise compliant with department policy at the time the tattoo, branding, or body art was obtained, and was properly documented and made part of the employee’s Official Personnel File, if so required.

1. However, any future tattoos, regardless of size, visible while on-duty in the Class "B" summer uniform shall subject the incumbent sworn member to the requirement to cover up all visible tattoos as described in subsection (a) above.

(6) Applicants wishing for sworn appointment to the department shall be screened during applicant processing at which time a determination shall be made as to whether an applicant is in violation of the policy. If an applicant is found to be in violation, then the applicant may, at his or her sole discretion, have the tattoo, branding, or body art, or visible portion thereof, removed at his or her own expense. If an applicant expresses a willingness to have this done, then his or her application will be placed on hold until the removal process is completed.

(a) Removal of such markings will not per se absolve the applicant of being deemed as having such affiliation or adherence to said philosophies, organizations or activities that may be apparent in any phase of the selection process.