Central Visayas PNP: No more additional tattoos on cops

CEBU CITY – The Central Visayas police will start implementing the policy against unauthorized and visible tattoos after the national headquarters lifted the moratorium on the measure.

Lt. Col. Gerard Ace Pelare, Philippine National Police Regional Police Office 7 (PNPRO7) spokesperson, said on Friday that officers should follow the three-month period given by the PNP leadership to remove all unauthorized and visible tattoos
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Pelare explained that PNP personnel are not allowed to have tattoos visible when they are in their uniforms.

They could keep their tattoos that do not show when they are in uniforms as long as they are not offending or those that are unauthorized, the official said.

Unauthorized tattoos that are indecent, racist, religiously or ethnically discriminatory, or promote extremism and violence should also be removed, Pelare added.

"Those who will be applying to become a police officer should not have tattoos. Those who have already tattoos cannot add more," the official said.

The PNP earlier suspended the tattoo ban due to the request of some police officers and for the PNP Health Service (HS) to assess the declaration submitted by active police personnel who have tattoos. (PNA)