Man Denied Job As Police Officer Due To Tattoos

September 30th, 2009 · No Comments

Tattoos Keep Man Off Force
By Joleen Chaney
Published : September 23, 2009

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – An Oklahoma man says his dream of being a police officer is being thwarted by his appearance. He says he’s qualified, can pass the background check and is ready to go, but claims he is denied employment because of his visible tattoos.

The marks can get a candidate booted even before they really apply for the job. Many employers, including some police departments, consider them unprofessional and won’t even consider a candidate if they have one.

“They all kind of have different meanings. The one on my forearm here is kind of a memorial to two of my friends who got killed in Iraq,” Jesse Campbell said. “And the Koi fish is traditional Japanese for hope, and this one I just got because I thought it looked cool.”

They seemed like good ideas at the time, but now 25 year old Jesse Campbell says these marks of ink are now giving him marks of disapproval.

He says he’s been denied a job as a police officer at the Oklahoma City Police Department because of them, even though he’s fought overseas for our country – visible tattoos and all.

“It didn’t disqualify be from going to Iraq, and they don’t inhibit my ability to do anything other than what someone perceives me to be,” he said.

And it is about perception. The police department came up with the policy that bans visible tattoos after receiving complaints from citizens against officers who did have them.

“The complaints have started coming in only within the last several years prior to the chief beginning to look at that policy,” Captain Steve McCool said. “This is something new in the police department in getting those types of complaints because officers of going out and getting visible tattoos.”

Those who already have them are grandfathered in but must cover them with clothing, make-up or patches. New applicants can’t have tattoos at all – a practice Campbell says is unfair.

“Instead of asking a person they form a judgment just based on what they see,” Campbell said.

Most metro police departments also have the same policy – no visible tattoos and if a current officer does have them they must be completely covered.

Source : KFOR