This page uses extracted PDF text. Text can misread numbers, dates or table columns. Check the PDF before quoting or interpreting it. Redacted areas remain redacted.
Newport News Police Department
2. The following are prohibited for all on-duty employees, both uniformed and non-uniformed:
a. Visible piercings anywhere other than the ears.
b. Jewelry/ornamentation that is connected to another piece of jewelry.
c. Jewelry/ornamentation affixed directly to or embedded into the skin.
d. Noticeable tongue piercings. Clear or flesh-colored tongues piercings are permitted.
NOTE: While performing job functions, jewelry may pose a risk of injury, particularly for sworn
employees. The department encourages employees to consider and accept the risk of injury
when making their jewelry choices.
F. Body Art
1. The following categories of body art are prohibited, regardless of visibility:
a. Extremist – Body art affiliated with, depicting, or symbolizing extremist philosophies,
organizations, or activities, including those advocating racial, gender, ethnic hatred or
intolerance, or illegal discrimination based on race, color, gender, ethnicity, religion, sexual or
gender orientation, or national origin and/or body art advocating violence or other unlawful
means of depriving individual rights under the U.S. Constitution, and Federal or State law.
b. Indecent – Body art grossly offensive to modesty, decency, propriety, or professionalism.
c. Sexist – Body art advocating a philosophy that degrades or demeans a person based on gender.
d. Racist – Body art advocating a philosophy that degrades or demeans a person based on race,
ethnicity, or national origin.
2. Visible tattoos, brands or other body art are prohibited in the following areas unless the Chief of
Police grants a waiver:
a. On the head, face, neck, or scalp (to include ears), except cosmetic body art (e.g. eyeliner,
eyebrows, & lips) that is natural in appearance.
b. On the hands, fingers, or wrists (below the wrist bone), except ring body art below the finger joint
near the base of the finger with no more than one instance of ring body art on each hand.
IV. GUIDELINES FOR ATTIRE
A. To maintain a professional and office-appropriate appearance, all attire will be neat and clean.
B. Attire that exposes undergarments, cleavage and/or bare chests, the stomach/midriff, or skin on the legs
more than 2” above the knee is prohibited.
C. Commanders have the authority to establish the appropriate attire for non-uniformed employees,
including sworn employees working in plain-clothes assignments. Appropriate attire will be either
business attire, business casual attire, or casual attire, in accordance with this policy. Commanders will
consider:
1. The amount of face-to-face interaction with the public.
2. The importance of professional appearance to complete assignments.
3. Environmental factors, such as heat and humidity; and
4. Physical activities (i.e. moving, lifting, dirty conditions, etc.)
D. If needed, specific attire requirements that go beyond those addressed in this policy may be incorporated
into the unit’s standard operating procedures.
E. If employees participate in an on-call schedule, supervisors should establish the appropriate attire
(business, business casual, or casual) for an after-hours response, which may or may not be the same as
during regular business hours.
ADM-230 - 3 of 6 – 05/11/2026Jump to an indexed page (6 of 6)