Tattoo Policy

  • No agency employee shall possess any offensive body marking (see definition).
  • The Superintendent or Assistant Superintendent is responsible for determining whether a body marking is offensive, unauthorized, and/or prohibited. The Superintendent or Assistant Superintendent reserves the right to require an employee to cover any body marking that was previously permitted in the course of employment that has been determined to be currently inappropriate.
    • The Superintendent or Assistant Superintendent will determine the approved method of covering body markings once the body markings are deemed inappropriate.

Uniformed Members

  • Uniformed members may possess non-offensive body markings.
  • Body markings are strictly prohibited on areas visible above the lapel (neckline) of a standard issue Class C (v-neck, short sleeved) uniform shirt and below the sleeve of a standard issue Class B (long sleeved) uniform shirt (i.e., the neck, head, face, and hands).
    • Exception: One ring-style tattoo no more than 3/8” (9.525mm) wide that resembles a wedding band on the right or left ring finger between the knuckle and finger joint closest to the palm of the ring finger.
Prohibited area diagram

Definitions

UNIFORMED MEMBER

  • shall include any Patrol employee who is vested with any law enforcement authority.

BODY MARKINGS

  • TATTOO – the act or practice of marking the skin with indelible designs, forms, figures, art, etc., by making punctures in the skin and inserting pigment.
  • SCARIFICATION – the act of intentional cutting of the skin for the purpose of creating a design, form, figure, or art.
  • BRANDING – the act of intentional burning of the skin for the purpose of creating a design, form, figure, or art.
  • OFFENSIVE TATTOO, SCARIFICATION, OR BRAND – The following list is intended to serve as an example of offensive tattoos, scarifications, or brands and are not intended to include every such marking that may be determined to be prohibited.
    • Pornographic, gang-related, anti-government, racist, or prejudicial content, or depictions of violence;
    • Profane or obscene language or art;
    • Symbols denoting bias for or against any group or class, such as swastikas or similar symbols;
    • Initials, acronyms, or numbers that represent criminal or historically oppressive organizations, such as AB, KKK, SS, MM, BGF, HA, 666, or any street gang names, numbers, and/or symbols;
    • Anything that may be determined to bring discredit to the Kansas Highway Patrol or the law enforcement profession.