Paul Weston: police are being confused with bikies as more younger officers ink up

Spider web tattoos crawl up their necks. They sport several days growth of beard. But they’re not the latest generation of Gold Coast bikies - they’re our city’s police force.

Police on patrol in Surfers Paradise. Picture: Glenn Hampson.

SOME of our younger coppers are creating an image problem. Spider-web tattoos crawl up their necks. They sport several days’ growth of beard. They are being confused for bikies.

All the recent debate and focus at a political level, in State Parliament this month, was about a new police discipline reform bill. It fast-tracks complaints and hearing of allegations.

Police on patrol in Surfers Paradise. Picture: Glenn Hampson.

But away from George Street, all the talk is how some young officers turn up for work.

Many are clean skins for 12 months but once their job is secure, the ink spreads from their arms to their neck.

“There was a constable (off duty) who tried to enter a nightclub. He was refused entry. The nightclub thought he was a bikie,” a police source says.

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An older copper had to visit a jail. “There are fewer tattoos than out on the beat,” he said.

The Police Service management support manual refers to Code of Dress and Appearance.

“A uniform is to be neat, clean, appropriately ironed and buttoned or zipped. Members are to be conscious of their appearance and the image they portray to the public as a representative of the service,” the section says.

Police wearing their full uniform — on patrol outside the council chambers. Picture: Glenn Hampson.

The policy can be quite specific. A section on police beanies says they can be worn but only between 6pm and 6am unless you are a Water Police officer.

Dr Terry Goldsworthy, a former Coast detective and now criminologist at Bond University, confirmed senior police are aware of the image issue.

“I was down the coffee shop today and two young male police walked by in uniform to get their coffees. Both had full sleeve tattoos on both arms, both had full neck tattoos up to their hairline. There appeared to be no cultural or religious significance to the tattoos,” he said.

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Dr Goldsworthy knows the QPS Manual and refers to the section that says “facial and neck tattoos are not permitted unless they relate to religious beliefs and practices”.

The manual also cautions that “tattoos which are considered offensive or inappropriate should not be visible when a uniform is worn”.

“These are exactly the same type of tattoos that get people banned from licensed premises,” he said.

Dr Terry Goldsworthy — call me old school but police should wear their caps. Pic by Richard Gosling.

Yet a female uniformed officer who has one side of her head shaved in a crew cut with the rest brightly dyed walks the beat.

What does the manual say? “Hair styles for members are to be kept conservative and not dyed, tinted, streaked or bleached in heavily contrasting hair colours.”

Dr Goldsworthy admits to being “old school”. He wants coppers to wear their caps.

“Policing starts with perceptions and is about professionalism, not about keeping up with the latest fashion trends,” he said.

An older mate takes it a step further. “Policing is about perception. The most important perception is the confidence – the confidence the community has that police will protect you.”