Tattoos and the Gardai

Look at this fecker wearing a red watch.

Just being pedantic for the lols here, but this lad is breaking so many rules...

• Visible tattoo
• Beard could be neater and is possibly longer than 2cm
• He's wearing a high viz stab vest cover on the Regular uniform, pretty sure that's not part of the Regular uniform (open to correction)
• Crease in trousers is not visible enough (compare to the Sergeant)
• Sergeant is wearing the Community Policing high viz on the Regular uniform
• Lace on his right boot is a bit loose and hanging down
• Trouers are too long
• Boots are nowhere near the level of shiny required
• Looks like his Asp is attached to his high viz staps rather than his belt
• Epaulettes should also be going over high viz shoulder
• Watches are not to be visible
• Doesn't look like the official issue utility belt (again, open to correction here)
• Sergeant possibly a dose for having hand gel attached to his utility belt...

Gas thing is, there are some of Sergeant rank and above who would consider the above far more important that the ability of that Garda to do their job. You can see how strict the rules are. I can understand some things from a safety point of view. Rules say you can wear a wedding band but nothing with a stone, whereas common sense would say you don't wear anything for fear of whatever that word is for deskinning your finger! And while that uniform was uncomfortable, one size fits all, collars made by people who don't wear shirts, and heavy trousers for jumping over walls and ditches... it's still better than the current Lidl one.

No.

So you can have them anwyere outside of face or neck above the collar, they just can't be visible. I'm assuming these lads were sent home maybe because the new uniform doesn't have a long sleeve option for the polo... I dunno. And possibly because the tattoo goes down onto their hands/beyond the cuff line.

Ah yeah, we did discuss nasty tats in earlier posts already . And about covering them up also ..

I take your point about difficulty in deciding what is or isn't acceptable if they go down the visible tattoo allowed route .

I just think that it's time the AGS bit the bullet , so to speak (!) and made those decisions instead of turning away perfectly good candidates .

Or allow a uniform that covers it up . Even those above the collar or below the cuff can be covered with many sportswear attire that could be incorporated into a more flexible uniform policy .

It's done in other fairly established trustworthy and public facing professions eg doctors and nurses so I don't understand the reticence at this stage ...very conservative .

In dress uniform which we can assume is not worn every shift except special occasions , that there are no timid people around who may be shocked by a tattoo !

My opinion .

Oh no, not you!

See? 😂

Why does it matter to you if I or anyone else have tattoos? There's plenty of things we don't need in life, I earn a good living and have plenty of savings.

I don't need them, I chose to get them though. They represent different periods of my life and they're meaningful to me. Next one I have planned is related to a series of books and a writer that has gotten me through some incredibly tough periods in life. After that I'm likely to get one related to dealing with chronic illness, that's gonna need some more planning until I'm happy to do it though.

I imagine there's plenty of things you don't need in life but you do choose to get them. So a live and let live attitude rather than making some pretty lame judgements about people wouldn't be a bad move. (I haven't followed any sporting star or celebrity so I'm pretty oblivious to their tattoo choices 🤣)

Also, plenty of people have tattoos that very few people are even likely to see so it's not really related to "enhancing appearances" for plenty of people.

Yeah but there is a slight difference between being ‘old and wrinkly’ with a ‘Tat’ that has turned into a ‘messy multi-coloured blob’ and just being ‘old and wrinkly’ with no accompanying blobs…😀. We will see how cool beckham and Co look at 80/90 years old..🤣

and yes I would say people are generally ‘judgemental’ about appearances/presentation, try doing a job interview in a string vest, flip flops 🩴 and shorts and see how well you get on….? It’s in the human dna to be weary / judgement of strangers as in ancient times strangers arriving in your area usually meant confrontation/war etc

Ah the usual outrage from tattoo fans that not everyone likes/appreciates/validates their choice of self-expression! It's been done so many times before on this site.

I have no tattoos, no interest in tattoos and find most of them dirty, overdone and tacky. What is supposedly an expression of individuality is completely undermined when every other person has one. I've seen otherwise stunning women destroy themselves with the things and for what? To show how unique they are... by doing the same thing as everyone else and drawing all over themselves!

If someone is covered in tattoos (I mean more so the whole "sleeve" thing, or all over their back/legs or anything above the chest/neck) I would also wonder if they are a bit insecure or narcissistic - much the same as with all the Insta-loving brigade who need to shout "look at me!" to the world at every opportunity! How do they handle criticism (again, see many posts in this thread) or different opinions in general? (a wider issues nowadays especially online)

Now all of these are indeed just my perceptions. No-one is forced to agree with them or me (and no I won't be justifying or defending said perceptions for that same reason) and all that said, do what you want with your own body. However, justified or not - other's perceptions and appearances matter and these things have consequences. Depending on the job those consequences may be that you find yourself excluded. You may not like it, you may not agree with it, but that's the employer's prerogative - just as with many requirements in the workplace.

The world does not revolve around you and your sense of righteousness or determination on what's important in a job. If you want to play in their domain, you play by their rules, not expect them and everyone/anyone else to change to suit you.

Excellent summation.

I abhor tattoos. Find them disgusting

There will always be people who look down on and sneer at others for how they dress, what they do etc...some people are always going to have a bizarre, unhealthy interest in how others choose to present themsleves, be it tattoos, clothing, hairstyle, facial hair or whatever...it'll always be something with people, but tattoo's are the last thing an garda siochana need to be worrying about, they're literally on their knees in crisis at the moment and this is what they are worried about? beggars belief really.

Telling someone directly to remove at tattoo is so far over the line, it's verging on abuse.

There’s no indication of AGS going that far, tattoos are easily covered up with makeup. I guess that hadn’t occurred to the three recruits in the original article in the opening post.

You can't cover a tattoo up with make up.