Donegal-based Garda and President of the GRA, Brendan O’Connor, has questioned a move by Garda to send home three Garda recruits because of tattoos.
The trainees were told that the tattoos did not comply with the dress and uniform code.
The recruits were part of 175 recruits that arrived for induction on 31 July.
The President of the Garda Representative Association and Dunafanghy-based Garda O’Connor has now called on An Garda Síochána to review its uniform and dress policy.
Gardaí confirmed that a number of garda recruits have had their positions deferred “pending their compliance with the uniform and dress code within An Garda Síochána”.
“An Garda Síochána Uniform and Dress Code is published on the Garda website and details provided in the Recruitment Candidate Information Booklet,” a statement added.
Garda O’Connor said that he was aware that one of the three cases involved a small discreet tattoo of a star behind the ear, which he said could be covered up with make-up if it was found not to comply.
He was speaking on RTÉ’s Today with Philip Boucher Hayes.
He added that a time when the Garda Commissioner is struggling to fill seats in Templemore, to get people through the system who are deemed suitable and then parting with them due to an element of self-expression appeared to be a subjective interpretation of these regulations.
He called on gardaí to find a code that was more agile and reflective of the wider social values, that should be reflected in An Garda Síochána, not the conservative rules of previous generations of the organisation.
He described the issue as complicated and nuanced, as you have to have a code, but certainly times and attitudes changed and this “is a little but conservative”.
“At a time when we need to reach out beyond where we traditionally may have looked for recruits and be more imaginative, inclusive and diverse to socially acceptable things be excluded from the training programme does seem to raise some questions,” he said.
He added that tattoos and body art are very much part of the culture of every age group, are common and do not come with the negative connotations that some people attribute to them.
“Perhaps this policy is slightly out of step and is robbing the organisation of three people with the potential to be excellent guards and serve their communities well,” Mr O’Connor said.
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