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G.O. 16 LONGWOOD POLICE DEPARTMENT GENERAL ORDER NUMBER: GO - 16 SUBJECT: EMPLOYEE DRESS AND APPEARANCE EFFECTIVE: OCTOBER 1, 1995 REVISED: AUGUST 1, 2022 GENERAL ORDER EMPLOYEE DRESS AND APPEARANCE GO – 16 PAGE 1 OF 4 I. PURPOSE: The purpose of this general order is to establish standards of dress and grooming for all employees. II. PERSONAL APPEARANCE: Unless exempt because of a specific duty assignment, on-duty employees shall be neat and clean when in public. III. CLOTHING/GENERAL: A. In general, enforcement personnel will dress in uniform at all times when performing law enforcement functions; however, personnel assigned to investigative units should dress in civilian/plain clothes attire while performing their investigative assignments. B. Clothing worn while at work will be clean and neatly pressed. Apparel should be kept free of tears, worn areas, and strings. C. Shoes will be clean and polished. D. No mixture of civilian clothing and issued uniform attire shall be worn. IV. UNIFORMS: A. Employees assigned to a position that requires a uniform will be issued uniforms and related equipment at the expense of the Longwood Police Department. B. While wearing the uniform, employees shall maintain a neat and professional appearance. GENERAL ORDER EMPLOYEE DRESS AND APPEARANCE GO – 16 PAGE 2 OF 4 C. Uniformed employees shall conform to the department’s regulations governing the wearing of uniforms. D. The issued uniforms worn by all non-sworn employees will be different as to clearly distinguish them from sworn employees. All issued uniforms must be approved by the chief of police. V. CIVILIAN/’PLAIN-CLOTHES’ ATTIRE: A. While on duty and in department training situations, employees shall present a neat professional and businesslike appearance at all times. B. Unless specifically authorized by the chief of police for a specific duty assignment, enforcement personnel shall conform to the following standards for civilian attire: 1. Female employees shall wear a business suit, conservative dress, conservative skirt, or slacks with a blouse and jacket, and appropriate shoes. 2. Male employees shall wear a dress shirt and tie, with a sports jacket, or a business suit with dress shirt and tie, and appropriate shoes. 3. Employees in plain-clothes attire shall carry firearms concealed from public view. 4. When appropriate, based on daily duties and immediate supervisor approval, personnel assigned to sworn positions normally permitting civilian or plain clothes attire will dress in a "utility" uniform as approved by the chief of police. While in this specialized uniform, which must include a Longwood Police Department badge embroidered or otherwise displayed on the officer's outermost garment, the officer shall open carry firearms. C. While representing the police department in any capacity, including while operating a department vehicle, non-enforcement police department employees shall dress in a professional and businesslike manner as approved by the chief of police. VI. TRAINING ATTIRE: A. Employees assigned as in-service training instructors have the option to attend wearing the attire listed in sections IV. or V., or a department issued shirt designed for training settings and cargo/utility style long pants. GENERAL ORDER EMPLOYEE DRESS AND APPEARANCE GO – 16 PAGE 3 OF 4 B. Employees attending in-service training have the option to attend wearing the attire listed in sections IV. or V., or a department issued shirt designed for training settings and cargo/utility style long pants. C. With pre-approval from the chief of police, agency instructors may alter training dress codes for themselves and attendees when necessary to accomplish training requirements. D. Employees attending external training sessions at locations such as other law enforcement agencies or a community college shall dress professionally. They have the option to wear their issued uniform or civilian attire. Civilian attire must include a conservative collared shirt and slacks or cargo/utility style long pants. Employees who are not in their issued uniform shall carry firearms concealed from public view while at external training sessions. Employees may deviate from these dress requirements only if required by the course instructor for training purposes such as firearms or defensive tactics training courses. VII. HAIRSTYLES: A. Unless specifically authorized by a specific duty assignment, employee’s hairstyles will be conservative and kept clean, trimmed, and combed. Hair coloring will be restricted to naturally occurring hair colors. B. The chief of police reserves the right to alter or revise hairstyle requirements at any time. VIII. FACIAL HAIR, PIERCINGS, TATTOOS AND BODY ART: A. Sideburns will be tapered to the contour of the head and neatly trimmed. Sideburns will not extend below the bottoms of the earlobes and must be squared at the bottom. B. Mustaches must be neat and trimmed. They may not protrude over the upper lip or extend more than one-half inch beyond the corners of the mouth. C. Beards may be worn by an employee while in uniform. Acceptable beard styles include a standard full beard or standard goatee. An employee’s beard must be kept neat and trimmed. A beard worn by uniformed personnel can be no longer than ½ inch in length. The beard cannot extend below the jaw line, and areas around the beard, i.e. neck and cheeks must remain clean shaven. Beards worn by employees assigned to positions in civilian attire will be neatly trimmed to display an acceptable business appearance. The chief of police may require alterations to an individual’s facial hair at any point he/she determines the employee’s appearance is not acceptable. GENERAL ORDER EMPLOYEE DRESS AND APPEARANCE GO – 16 PAGE 4 OF 4 D. No earrings will be worn by male employees. A single set of ‘Stud’ earrings are permitted to be worn by female employees. E. Ear piercings for, and the wearing of, plugs, tunnels, or similar jewelry are not permitted to be worn by male or female employees. F. Employees are prohibited from attaching, affixing, or displaying objects, articles, or jewelry on or through their nose, tongue, eyebrow or other body parts which are exposed to public view. G. Tattoos, brandings, mutilations, piercings, jewelry implants, or body markings and other body art on an employee’s face, head, neck (above the shoulder blade), or hands are not permitted. H. Tattoos, brandings, mutilations, piercings, jewelry implants, or body markings on other body parts shall not be visible to others while an employee is on duty or in a work related setting. Such markings must remain covered by the attire listed in sections IV. or V. If not covered by the attire listed in sections IV. Or V., markings shall be covered by a form fitting long sleeve under shirt of the same color as the employee’s approved uniform or attire, elastic sleeves or bands in a color similar to the employee’s skin tone or the same color as the employee’s approved uniform or attire, a watch, or makeup. IX. UNIFORM HATS: A. The authorized dress hat shall be worn with a class A uniform. B. The authorized dress hat is approved to be worn with a class B uniform. C. The authorized dress hat shall be covered with an issued rain cover when worn in rain. D. The authorized utility hat (ball cap) is approved for daily wear with a class B or lesser uniform. E. Police department personnel are prohibited from wearing any hat while seated in a residence or place of business. These situations include; but are not limited to, while working on the report writing process in a complainant’s home or while on meal break in a restaurant.