Mid-Daily Items: Body art going undercover

July 10, 2008 11:05 am

— Some police officers in Des Moines Iowa are going more undercover after the department adopted a policy restricting body art.
The policy now says any tattoos, branding and intentional scarring on the face, head, neck, hands, exposed arms and legs are prohibited. Employees who already have tattoos are exempt — but they must provide photographs of their existing tattoos.
Des Moines’ police union says the policy is unreasonable and has filed a grievance.
Stewart Barnes, president of the union, said the policy could narrow the potential pool of eligible officers.
“If you know that for the rest of your career you are going to have to wear a long-sleeved shirt or have your tattoos removed, you might think twice about applying for the job,” he said.
Des Moines Police Chief Judy Bradshaw said tattoos distract from a professional image. She added that the department doesn’t allow beards, either.
Chris Morgan, a West Des Moines police officer and former U.S. Marine, knows first-hand what it feels like to have to wear a long-sleeved shirt when it’s 90 degrees outside to cover the tattoos on his forearms.
“I get so hot out there when I’m directing traffic,” Morgan said. “I’ve sweated through my shirt and my vest.”
In November, the Sioux City police department adopted a policy that says officers cannot get new tattoos on exposed body areas. New job candidates are allowed to have tattoos on exposed skin, but they can’t get new ones after they’re hired.
“We don’t allow beards, either,” Sioux City Lt. Marti Reilly said. “But we can ask them to shave those off. It’s different with a tattoo.”
In Ames, the policy says that officers and other employees hired after May 1, 2004, cannot have tattoos visible while in uniform, but those hired before the date are exempt, said Cmdr. Jim Robinson.
There is an upside to tattoos, however.
Barnes, the Des Moines police union president, said his tattoos sometimes help with his job by providing a common ground with young people.
“They come up to me and talk to me about tattoos,” the 48 year old said.

— Police in Dallas, Texas, didn’t have to go far to find $400,000 worth of cocaine — it was in an undercover car they’d been driving for two months.
An officer cleaning the car at a patrol station Wednesday discovered the nearly 50 pounds of cocaine carefully hidden in hydraulically controlled compartments.
“These compartments have recently been more and more popular with drug operations,” said Deputy Chief Julian Bernal, commander of the narcotics division.
Dallas police put the two-door 2004 black Infiniti into police service on May 7 after seizing it at a drug house. It had been found at a drug house earlier this year along with a 1999 Honda.
Bernal said the narcotics division searched both the vehicles and found nothing unusual after the seizure. The Honda was sold at auction.
Bernal said police plan to contact the person who bought the Honda to find out if drugs are hidden in that car, too. And, they are also trying to find out who owned the cocaine they have been secretly driving around with.

— It wasn’t drugs they found in Clayton, Mo. It was cash.
A correctional officer at the intake facility at the St. Louis County Justice Center last week found $55,000 stuffed behind a toilet paper dispenser.
The bundle of money was in $100 and $50 bills, said Clayton Police Chief Thomas Byrne.
Officials interviewed inmates about the money, but none admitted knowing anything about the stashed cash.
The money was placed in a special bank account until the owner can be determined, Byrne said.

— And finally, the police valor medals were in place, the furniture in the Missouri governor’s Capitol office was rearranged and the reporters were assembled. But there was a suspicious void at the front of the room.
The four police officers being honored for their composure while facing personal danger weren’t there.
No one had told them about Wednesday’s ceremony.
Missouri Public Safety Director Mark James apologized for the goof and announced after about 15 minutes that the event was canceled.
A spokeswoman for Gov. Matt Blunt said he used the sudden free time for a meeting. The police officers will get their medals at a later date.

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