As an elected DA, I'm wondering if my office manual should be amended to keep up with the new generation of prosecutors. Any thoughts on whether prosecutors should be allowed to display their tats?

While on duty, troopers must hide their tattoos

Comments from the public led to new policy, a DPS spokesman says

Associated Press

AUSTIN - The state has ordered its troopers to cover up any tattoos in a move intended to preserve the officers' clean-cut image.

Last week, the Texas Department of Public Safety began requiring the state's almost 2,700 uniformed troopers to hide any visible tattoos or brandings while on duty.

The state already mandates short hair, shiny shoes and no jewelry or piercings for troopers, department spokesman Tom Vinger said.

Long sleeves or skin-colored patches to conceal body art have been added to that list.

Comments from the public about tattooed troopers played a role in the decision, Vinger said.

Sgt. Brian Hawthorne, of the Department of Public Safety Officers Association, estimates that fewer than 10 percent of troopers have tattoos. The group, which represents troopers, has not taken a stance on the new policy.

"This is a true generational thing," Hawthorne told the Austin American-Statesman. "Over the last few years (body art) has increased."

Several local police departments across the state, including Houston, require officers to hide or even remove tattoos.

We have a no visible tattoos policy.

So do we, even in "Keep Austin Weird" country.

Which is probably a good thing; otherwise, some might give in to the temptation of getting a little syringe on their ankle for every death sentence. (Like the Dixie Chicks' adding a bird footprint tattoo for every platinum record.)

Does anyone want to volunteer that they have a tattoo? Just between us posters and lurkers.

Ft. Worth PD has a cover or no visible tatoo policy which led to a lawsuit a few years ago from an officer who was "sleeved out" and on bike patrol. His complaint was that long sleeves were too hot. He lost.

We used to have a prosecutor with a tattoo that covered their entire back. It was well hidden in court. That said...our office has no policy in this regard.

I have a tattoo on my ankle. I am not required to cover it in any way, although generally I doubt jurors can see it anyway.

I have tattoos on the tops of my feet. Jurors rarely tell me they notice, and when they do, it's usually to say, "Nice work," or "Did they hurt?" Comments from the judge have been positive/neutral, too. None of my supervisors have said anything about it, and trust me, they've all seen them. The bailiff in my court regularly wears a short-sleeved uniform that shows off his pair of forearm scorpions - each about 5" in length. Plus, you never know WHO out there has a little hidden sumpin' sumpin'. Any electeds willing to pony up to a visible tat?

It is my experience that over the course of a trial, jurors see EVERYTHING that can be seen.

I have no tattoos or piercings, visible or otherwise. But I do have a splotchy complexion. Does that count?

I briefly considered an office policy, but the paranoid civil defense lawyer in me seized on the notion that I might employ (or have an application from) someone of South Pacific ancestry and my policy might trigger some sort of disparate impact claim. So I've let that one lie for now. In my county, I'm none too sure that having a visible tattoo would be something our jurors would hold against a prosecutor.

Come now. It's one thing to volunteer that you have a tattoo. It's another to tell us what the tattoo is and why you chose it.

We all want to know what is on the ankle.

i have an anchor tattooed on each of my forearms. no wait. that's popeye.

This is a bit off topic, but I had a murder victim with the phrase, "_ _ _ _ off" tattooed on the inside of his lower lip.

None in Colorado County!

quote:

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Originally posted by Michael Hess:
This is a bit off topic, but I had a murder victim with the phrase, "_ _ _ _ off" tattooed on the inside of his lower lip.

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We've all seen perps with the "LOVE HATE tattoo'd across the fingers of both hands, or the phrase mentioned above, but...

I can top that. When I served as a special prosecutor several years ago in Waller County, I had a drive by survivor who had the acronym for "For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge" along with the word "YOU" tattoo'd across his bald forehead. In Big Letters.

That is a committment to a concept that I don't have. I cringed when the Judge made him remove his gimme cap in Court.

I have a scar on my arm from where I had my U.S.S. Indianapolis tattoo removed.

I think any sort of personal appearance requirement is reasonable. There's not much difference between asking me to cover a tattoo versus asking me to wear a tie, dress slacks and a coat. I have the same opinion regarding jewelry. If an elected official wanted all the men to wear only white shirts, that would be reasonable as well.

Every assistant serves as a representative of the elected office. Establishing a dress code that is appropriate for the region is a necessary aspect of the office.

I don't think there is a problem having different requirements for different genders either. Because I don't think you could require dress shirts and neckties for the women, I also think that allowing women to wear earrings but not allowing men to wear earrings is reasonable policy.

Maybe that's not very progressive, but I think it's culturally equitable.

I'm sure their mothers love them anyway...

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/0130063tattoo1.html

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/dmilam1.html

http://www.thescaryguy.com/

I agree that a no-display policy is reasonable. As prosecutors, I think that we generally represent the status quo, and while I'm all for making fashion statements (I had a pierced ear for my first two years as a prosecutor, but I never wore the studs to work) I don't think court is the place to live out your Mel Gibson- Mr.-Christian-from-The Bounty-fantasy (he was motorin' by the way). Projecting a stereotype image is one of the sacrifices of being a public servant (along with low pay and a lack of understanding by the public).

And that was awesome Philip! Thanks Philip for delivering the bomb. Seeing the Cleveland Indians still brings a tear to my eye when I think about what happened to Herbie (or it did until I saw Rene Russo in Major League). I had a tattoo that said "John G. raped and murdered your wife," but I thought that was too prejudicial to put in front of a jury.

Flava Dave

P.S. Answers to the obscure and not so obscure references - a. The Bounty, b. Sister Christian, Night Ranger, c. Jaws, d. Major League, e. Memento. (note the absence of Tupac Shakur).

[This message was edited by David Newell on 03-27-06 at .]

I have *ahem* six tattoos, but only one (on my ankle) is visable. I've never had a juror say anything about it, though. However, if I win the lottery and never have to work again, I want full sleeves!