Convenient cover for rejecting combat vets, eh? Wouldn't want anybody in the police force who'd actually -used- a firearm before, would we? Might hit what he was shooting at some day!

England is fast becoming a dirty word, eh wot?

Here's hoping someone tattoos "Mohammed" on their forearm and applies to the force....

Words aside, it also says that prominent tattoos are not allowed. Maybe young people should consider how professional that big tattoo on their fore-arm, leg, neck etc will be. Would you hire someone looking like that for your office receptionist? Bookkeeper? In schools I see teenager with huge, ugly, prominent tattoos and I wonder what that will do to their career path. It's about judgment and getting big tattoos in areas where they cannot be covered shows poor judgment.

Rat, while those are appropriate questions in some contexts, I'm a prosecutor and I've worked with a bunch of cops. A lot of them have tattoos. A few of them have a TON of tattoos. I'd rather have the kind of officer who has a tattoo than the kind of paper-pushing bureaucrat cop who would worry about hiring police with tattoos that "offend" or "intimidate" people (in some cases, that's part of the point).

*
hmmm... maybe they ought to be thinking about what's in
people's "hearts and minds"... as well as their epidermis...

"LONDON — Police said Sunday that a Muslim woman
officer had refused to shake hands with London's police
chief during a graduation ceremony last month due to
her religious beliefs, fanning a debate in Britain over
the assimilation of Muslims into society."

*

It would be a lot simpler to have a a policy that says "no visible tatoos".

Besides how often do police not have a shirt on that covers the forearm?

Perhaps he can get it bleached and try again.

I'm reminded of the King of Sweden , Bernadotte, a (French) general in the Napoleonic army in his younger days and a revolutionary firebrand in his even younger days.

He had the peculiarity of never having being seen without a nightshirt on, at LEAST, even his doctor (and wife?) had never seen him nekkid.

When he died, proudly tatooed on his chest was
"Mort au Roy!" ( Death to the King).

I guess discretion was warranted.

I worry about what is going on in Britain the past few years. New Labour has been a disaster for British society and it always appears to me that the government just makes it up as it goes along, no thought given to bigger issues that are affecting the country. My ancestors came from UK, emigrated to Canada in early 1950's, and they wonder what is going on over there. They, and I, are thankful we live here in Canada, even with all the politically crap we have to put up with, because it's much worse in UK.

At first I thought the police force was in the wrong but when I clicked on the link and saw the tattoo, I agree with the force that the tattoo is intimidating.

First, the tattoo is HUGE.

Second, I guess my Gothic letter reading isn't that good because I couldn't make out the word England on his arm, it just looked like some mysterious symbols to me. Mixed in with a star next to each letter and some swirly symbol on the top.

Third: even knowing what it is, I think it is stupid and unattractive. Without knowing what it was, I found it offensive and possibly intimidating (remember, most likely I'd be meeting that tattoo while being approached by an officer in less than friendly circumstances).

He made a mistake when he was 19 and now he's living with the consequences.

That being said, the police force also made a mistake if the only reason they rejected the tattoo was because it said "England." The word in the tattoo is not what should reject it; it is the rendering, size and other symbols along with it, that raises concerns for me.

Another poke in the eye for patriotism. We wouldn't want to offend someone with our love of country now, would we?! And with all that training, well... that just wouldn't be "cricket" when it came to actual policing now, would it? I'm sure the Vancouver P.D. would be happy to have his application, seeing as how they can't get enough recruits to offset the vacancies they have.

While large, the tattoo is on a portion of his arm not readily visible to someone being approached by him head on. Furthermore, it can be covered with a long-sleeved shirt, which I am sure is an option in England. Finally, the tattoo seems to have been rejected primarily for its content, and it is clear that English authorities reject displays of patriotism out of deference to inhabitants hostile to the home country. Therefore, we can confidently file this piece under the heading "craven self-loathing as exhibited by western liberals".

Incidentally, Kate, I like your "Muslim tattoo" comment. While in England this summer, camera in hand, I will be on the lookout for Pakistani policemen with Islamic tattoos.

What about turbans in the police force? That sure as hell offends me and probably intimidates others! What is a bigger symbol screaming at someone being arrested or the bystanders watching that the officer in question has a completely different belief system and may be discriminatory in his duties?

CanadianKate said:

“it just looked like some mysterious symbols to me”

“Without knowing what it was, I found it offensive and possibly intimidating (remember, most likely I'd be meeting that tattoo while being approached by an officer in less than friendly circumstances)”

The naivety in our country is astounding. I suppose if you were indeed being approached by an officer in a less than friendly circumstance you would prefer that he be wearing tight pink shorts and a gay pride T shirt?

What a dishonorable disservice the UK has done for this patriotic soldier. What a treasonous act to coddle criminals and hateful freeloading immigrants that feel the UK is worthy of serving them but not worth of its national identity.

Besides not meeting the standard, tt looks like the tattoo of a neo-nazi.

My story is different, but an annoying police recruiting story none the less. A colleague of mine when we were in the army together got out of the army and applied to the RCMP. At the time he would have been 26 to 28 years old. He graduated from RMC as an engineer, we was fluently bilingual, he was an army captain, an explosives specialist who had headed a regional EOD team.He was a great athlete, who had a black belt in karate. He did not get accepted. His wife, who was a very nice woman, who had spent her time since getting an English degree as a wife and mother, applied out of curiosity, and was accepted. She didn't join, but she did have the one qualification that he lacked, which was all the RCMP was interested in.

Well another nail in the coffin of freedom from the Nanny State for the British people, if the word England tatooed on an arm is offensive to the Diversity Crowd nothing is sacred anymore. Honestly the name of your country "Might" be offensive to a suspected felon, ask me if I give a rat's ass what offends a potential felon.

Socialism is a desease of the mind, picking cops who's tats might offend a diverse society is akin to handing the keys of society to minority groups who's members are the majority of felons.

Policing in England has become a failed social experiment (all them fail) by the leftards to divert police from enforcing the rule of law and instead they've become "Officers of Racial Diversity and Multiculture". No wonder crime is rampant in England, cops are trained to be more concerned with RACE issues than crime and catching criminals.

England another failed socialist experiment, poor sods wait until they start sending officers of the state to bath you and brush your teeth.

Don't fear Rose. In Canada the Police here have become glorified Tax collectors for various civic governments, all run of course by progressives. Looking for more money to build monument s to themselves if not throwing it away to their pals. The police have become bit by bit their lackey’s in extortion. Meanwhile real crime is left to itself. Using the RCMP as thugs to pepper spray crowds, should go down as the starting point of the break down of our police into Government conscription.

Your completely right of course England’s might & glory have faded into the gray’s of a bureaucratic state bent on National suicide.

What a great people they where at one time. Just banning slavery has immortalized those who fought for ever. Not to mention spreading the industrial revolution worldwide.

So when having a pint , tip a drop or two to the memory of a once Great Empire who made a solitary mans life better with the hope of an enhanced reality& universal education.

Than came socialism & killed it all in the mediocrity of multicult, with ideological fanaticism of the illusionist.

In response to my comment, Knight99 said, "The naivety in our country is astounding. I suppose if you were indeed being approached by an officer in a less than friendly circumstance you would prefer that he be wearing tight pink shorts and a gay pride T shirt?"

No, I'd prefer to deal with the person in the uniform and not wonder what personal agenda he was broadcasting through his body art.

Everyone brings personal agendas to their interactions with others. I am not fond of tattoos, especially indiscreet ones. So immediately, my back would be up if approached by an officer who's chosen such a tattoo. My interpretation is this is a self-centred person who needs to yell "look at me" and has been given power over me by virtue of the job. That I find intimidating.

I also stated that it is the tattoo itself (size and ability to misinterpret) that I object to, not the word England so the police force was equally at fault if that was the reason they were rejecting this candidate. Had it been a 4" heart of roses with England tattooed in the middle, I might have a different attitude. But I found that tattoo loud and aggressive.

So while I'm not impressed with the stated reason for rejecting the candidate, I still think it was the right outcome.

To "Canadian Kate",
When I was growing up I recall a protest song by the 5 Man Electrical Band that covered a situation somewhat analogous to this:
"And the sign said long haired freaky people need not apply
So I tucked my hair up under my hat and I went in to ask him why
He said you look like a fine upstanding young man, I think you'll do
So I took off my hat I said imagine that, huh, me working for you "
If you can't see the tattoo, then how is it that you can divine the personal agenda?
Hmm, what was that saying about books and covers?

RE: [Iraq war veteran] Craig

WE will take him!

I am just glad that Sir Winston Churchill is not alive to see what has become of the gallant island that fought so hard for the sovereignty of their land and people - barely 75 years ago. The descendants certainly are not made of the same good stuff. It would break the hearts of those brave soldiers, civilians and their fearless leader.

Another Sean: I love that song. But to answer your question...

If I can't see the tattoo, then my personal prejudices don't start poisoning the interchange with the other person. The uniform itself gives authority but when mixed with that tattoo, the first impression I get is 'neo-nazi' and then I have to spend brain cycles working to overcome that, rather than deal with the situation at hand.

Now, before y'all start jumping on me asking how do I react when it is a person of colour, since they can't hide their colour - I don't have that kind of prejudice.

And in other situations I can take time to get to know the person and inquire about the tattoo and discover motivation. That knowledge will help me decide if the tattoo is a sign of aggression, a youthful mistake, or a pledge to defend our country.

But the uniform combined with the tattoo sends warning bells off in my head. And given the state of relations between the muslim community and police in England, I can see how a muslim might be extra concerned that the stars in the tattoo.

So, I think the police service made the correct decision. But, I'll repeat, I think if their spokesperson represented the reason correctly, then they made the right decision but for the wrong reasons. But then again, maybe they had the same 'neo-nazi' reaction as I did but didn't want to say it and trigger Godwins Law!

I work for an agency of the Home Office in Britain and they have recently brought in a policy whereby we have to wear a uniform. Along with this is the "no visible tattoos" policy. I think this is the crux of the matter. They used the policy incorrectly in discriminating against this guy since he could cover up the offending tattoo. Hopefully he will take legal action and sort these petty bastards out.

Kate, don't get it.

YOU are not prejudiced against color or long hair - so it's OK to have non-white, long haired police.

YOU don't like tattoos, so forbidding them is OK.

What about the other people who don't like other equally superficial things?

Piercings scare me. No pierced police.

Lipstick is a sign of sexual aggression. No make up for police women.

This is a stupid, superficial rule. The fact that you agree with it doesn't make it right.

mrsizer>

That was the essence of my turban point.

CanadianKate>

The other point I was trying to make is that everyone has prejudice of one form or another, yours is tattoos, and mine is a turbaned police officer. Any officer that potentially arrests you may have a personal prejudice towards you whether it outwardly shows or not. So the point of non-racial tattoos is moot in my opinion as is the case with this one.

If I was a criminal and lets say a negro, the greatest gift the police force could give me would be an arresting officer with kkk scrawled across his hand. I suspect that this scenario may be at the heart this matter. In modern Muslim pushover England the fear that a case may be thrown out against a Muslim arrested by this tattooed officer may take precedence, compounding the injustice.

Jema54>

"It would break the hearts of those brave soldiers, civilians and their fearless leader."

Well said! In the end was it worth it? Not now, but 50 years from now.

CanadianKate,
And how do you see the tattoo (and therefore know that this is a "neo-nazi" person) when the uniform sleeves cover the tattoo?
The fact that you imagine (I can't bear to use the word "think" in this situation since that is patently untrue) that someone is "neo-nazi" does not make it so.
This was a stupid decision.