Wichita police officers could soon show their body ink if a potential regulation change is approved, and department staff hope it would help with recruitment.
Officer Anthony Villegas, a Patrol East community police officer, told the Wichita police Citizen Review Board last week that he hopes the department will revise its policy.
Current regulation states that tattoos must not show while an officer is on duty, regardless of whether the officer is in uniform or civilian clothes, Villegas said. Facial, head and neck tattoos are not permitted under policy. Capt. Chet Pinkston said the tattoo policy has been debated within the department for the last decade.
“We’re starting to see, frankly, where it’s impacting our ability to attract quality applicants,” he said. “So we have to revisit it from time to time.”
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