The Seattle Police Department announced Wednesday that it has updated its policy regarding tattoos, hairstyles, jewelry and gender language.
After receiving feedback from officers, recruits and potential candidates, SPD said officers can now have visible tattoos and body art as long as it is not “obscene, offensive, or discriminatory in nature.”
Officers can also wear jewelry and have beards, except for those with SWAT, the Arson/Bomb Unit, and Harbor Patrol.
The updated policy also authorizes hairstyles like afros, braids, locks and twists.
In a separate update, the department gave guidance to officers regarding preferred pronouns like theirs, zie and zir.
SPD last updated the employee appearance section of its manual in 2006.