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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPolicy 1019 Personal_Appearance_StandardsPolicy 1019 South Bend Police Department Policy Manual Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2023/02/15, All Rights Reserved. Published with permission by South Bend Police Department Personal Appearance Standards - 1 Personal Appearance Standards 1019.1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE This policy provides guidelines for the personal appearance of members of the South Bend Police Department. Requirements for department uniforms and civilian attire are addressed in the Uniforms and Civilian Attire Policy. 1019.2 POLICY South Bend Police Department members shall maintain their personal hygiene and appearance to project a professional image that is appropriate for this department and for their assignments. Department personal appearance standards are primarily based on safety requirements, appearance conformity and the social norms of the community served, while considering matters important to members of the Department. 1019.3 GROOMING Unless otherwise stated and because deviations from these standards may present officer safety issues, the following appearance standards shall apply to all members, except those whose current assignments would deem them not applicable, and where the Chief of Police has granted an exception. 1019.3.1 PERSONAL HYGIENE All members must maintain proper personal hygiene. Examples of improper personal hygiene include, but are not limited to, dirty fingernails, bad breath, body odor and dirty or unkempt hair. Any member who has a condition due to a protected category (e.g., race, physical disability) that affects any aspect of personal hygiene covered by this policy may qualify for an accommodation and should report any need for an accommodation to the Chief of Police. 1019.3.2 HAIR Hair shall be clean, neatly trimmed or arranged, and of a natural hair color. Hairstyles with shaved designs in the scalp are prohibited. Hair adornments shall be primarily for the purpose of securing the hair and must present a professional image. Hairstyles for male department members must not extend below the top edge of a uniform or dress shirt collar while assuming a normal stance. Hairstyles shall be conservative and not call attention to an officer because of its unnatural color, design, or style (examples include, but are not limited to, ponytails, pigtails, and buns). When working a field assignment, hairstyles for female department members must not extend below the bottom edge of the shoulder blades while assuming a normal stance. It is recommended for safety reasons that longer hair shall be worn up or in a tightly wrapped braid or ponytail that is secured to the head above the bottom edge of the shirt collar. South Bend Police Department Policy Manual Personal Appearance Standards Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2023/02/15, All Rights Reserved. Published with permission by South Bend Police Department Personal Appearance Standards - 2 1019.3.3 MUSTACHES Mustaches alone shall not extend below the lower lip or beyond the natural hairline of the upper lip and shall be short and neatly trimmed. 1019.3.4 SIDEBURNS Sideburns alone shall not extend below the bottom of the earlobe and shall be trimmed and neat. 1019.3.5 FACIAL HAIR Facial hair, other than sideburns, mustaches and eyebrows, is allowed, but only in the prescribed fashion(s) and manner as presented to officers. 1019.3.6 FINGERNAILS Fingernails shall be clean and neatly trimmed to a length that will not present a safety concern. The color of fingernail polish shall present a professional image. 1019.4 APPEARANCE 1019.4.1 JEWELRY For the purpose of this policy, jewelry refers to earrings, necklaces, bracelets, wristwatches and tie tacks or tie bars. Jewelry shall present a professional image and may not create a safety concern for the department member or others. Jewelry that depicts racial, sexual, discriminatory, gang- related or obscene language is not allowed. See the Uniforms and Civilian Attire Policy for jewelry specifications that apply while wearing the department uniform. (a)Necklaces shall not be visible above the shirt collar. (b)One ring or ring set may be worn on each hand of the department member. No rings should be of the type that would cut or pose an unreasonable safety risk to the member or others during a physical altercation, if the member is assigned to a position where that may occur. (c)One small bracelet, including a bracelet identifying a medical condition, may be worn on one arm. (d)Wristwatches shall be conservative and present a professional image. (e)Tie tacks or tie bars worn with civilian attire shall be conservative and present a professional image. 1019.4.2 TATTOOS Tattoos are allowed, but cannot be: obscene, or advocate sexual, racial, ethnic, or religious discrimination is prohibited whether in or out of uniform. Examples of offensive tattoos include, but are not limited to, those that exhibit or advocate discrimination against sex, race, religion, ethnicity, national origin, sexual orientation, age, physical or mental disability, medical condition or marital status; those that exhibit gang, supremacist or extremist group affiliation; and those that depict or promote drug use, sexually explicit acts or other obscene material. South Bend Police Department Policy Manual Personal Appearance Standards Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2023/02/15, All Rights Reserved. Published with permission by South Bend Police Department Personal Appearance Standards - 3 1019.4.3 BODY PIERCING OR ALTERATION Body piercing (other than earlobes) or alteration to any area of the body that is visible while on- duty or while representing the South Bend Police Department in any official capacity, that is a deviation from normal anatomical features and that is not medically required, is prohibited. Such body alteration includes, but is not limited to: (a)Tongue splitting or piercing. (b)The complete or transdermal implantation of any material other than hair replacement (i.e., foreign objects inserted under the skin to create a design or pattern). (c)Abnormal shaping of the ears, eyes, nose or teeth (i.e., enlarged or stretched out holes in the earlobes). (d)Branding, scarification or burning to create a design or pattern. 1019.4.4 DENTAL ORNAMENTATION Dental ornamentation that is for decorative purposes and not medically required is prohibited while on-duty or while representing the South Bend Police Department in any official capacity. Such ornamentation includes, but is not limited to: (a)Objects that are bonded to front teeth. (b)Gold, platinum or other veneers or caps used for decorative purposes. (c)Orthodontic appliances that are colored for decorative purposes. 1019.4.5 GLASSES AND CONTACT LENSES Eyeglasses and sunglasses shall be conservative and present a professional image. Contact lenses with designs that change the normal appearance of the eye and that are not medically required are prohibited while on-duty or while representing the South Bend Police Department in any official capacity. 1019.4.6 COSMETICS AND FRAGRANCES Cosmetics shall be conservative and present a professional image. Use of cologne, perfume, aftershave lotion and other items used for body fragrance shall be kept to a minimum. 1019.4.7 UNDERGARMENTS Proper undergarments shall be worn as necessary for reasons of hygiene and general appearance standards. 1019.5 RELIGIOUS ACCOMMODATION The religious beliefs and needs of department members should be reasonably accommodated. Requests for religious accommodation should generally be granted unless there is a compelling security or safety reason and denying the request is the least restrictive means available to ensure security or safety. The Chief of Police should be advised any time a request for religious accommodation is denied. South Bend Police Department Policy Manual Personal Appearance Standards Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2023/02/15, All Rights Reserved. Published with permission by South Bend Police Department Personal Appearance Standards - 4 Those who request to wear headscarves or simple head coverings or certain hairstyles or facial hair for religious reasons should generally be accommodated absent unusual circumstances.