February 6, 2006

Tattoo ban upheld

Keep that ink covered, deputies. A federal appeals court has upheld a tattoo ban that closely resembles one that Orange County Sheriff Carl DuBois instituted last spring. The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which also has jurisdiction over Orange County, said a lower court was right to dismiss a lawsuit that five Hartford, Conn., police officers brought against their city and police chief. The officers, who had military service symbols inked on their skin, argued the ban violated their freedom of speech rights. But the appeals panel ruled that public employees' First Amendment rights are more limited than average citizens. "A police department has a reasonable interest in not offending or appearing unprofessional before the public it serves," the court said.