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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: APRIL 1, 2026 GENERAL ORDER EMPLOYEE DRESS AND APPEARANCE GO – 16 PAGE 1 OF 12 I. PURPOSE: The purpose of this general order is to establish standards of dress and grooming for all employees. II. DEFINITIONS: A. Body Ornamentation: Includes, but is not limited to, intentional body mutilation, piercing, branding, or intentional scarring or shaping of the skin. Examples of body ornamentation include but are not limited to brands, intentional body/tongue piercing, split or forked tongue, foreign objects inserted under the skin to create a design or pattern or gauges in the ear in excess of ¼ inch, the use of gold, platinum or other ornamental veneers or caps for purposes of dental ornamentation, jewels, initials, or other non-medically necessary adornments on the teeth, mutilation and dental ornamentation. This definition does not include the normal piercing of the earlobe for earrings as authorized in this policy or any body ornamentation needed as a result of any required medical procedure. B. Tattoo or Tattooing: A marking made by inserting ink into the dermis layer of the skin to alter the display of pigmentation. The term also includes any scar, branding, marking, or other permanent or temporary body modification placed on the body for purposes of decoration, ornamentation, and adornment or otherwise. Tattoos include temporary modifications such as henna or transfer tattoos. The term tattoo does not include unobtrusive and naturally appearing permanent makeup, such as eyeliner or lip liner if it conforms to the policy on makeup. Nor does it include any necessary tattoo because of a medical procedure. GENERAL ORDER EMPLOYEE DRESS AND APPEARANCE GO – 16 PAGE 2 OF 12 C. Visible: Visible is defined as being able to be seen by another person including the ability for it to be seen through clothing garments. III. PERSONAL APPEARANCE: Unless exempt because of a specific duty assignment, on-duty employees shall be neat and clean when in public. IV. 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. V. UNIFORMS: A. Employees assigned to a position that requires a uniform will be issued uniform and related equipment at the expense of the Longwood Police Department. B. While wearing the uniform, employees shall maintain a neat and professional appearance. C. Uniformed employees shall conform to the department’s regulations governing the wearing of uniforms. D. Uniform Guidelines 1. Class A While in Class A uniform, officers will wear their department issued long sleeve shirts, tie, and dress hat as depicted in the attached photograph. 2. Class B GENERAL ORDER EMPLOYEE DRESS AND APPEARANCE GO – 16 PAGE 3 OF 12 While in Class B uniform, officers will wear their department issued load- bearing vest carrier. Duty gear holders and scabbards may be arranged according to personal preference. However, firearms and Tasers must be worn on the duty belt, not on the vest carrier, as depicted in the attached photograph. 3. Class C Traffic Uniform While in Class C uniform, officers will wear their department issued traffic uniform with guidelines identical to Class B uniform, as depicted in the attached photograph. 4. Class D Utility Uniform While in Class D uniform, officers will wear their department approved polo and blue, black, or khaki slacks or utility cargo pants, as depicted in the attached photograph. A class D uniform will include the use of a duty belt or such equipment as the member’s supervisor requires for the assignment. 5. All issued uniforms must be approved by the chief of police. E. The issued uniforms worn by all non-sworn employees will be different as to clearly distinguish them from sworn employees. VI. 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 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. GENERAL ORDER EMPLOYEE DRESS AND APPEARANCE GO – 16 PAGE 4 OF 12 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 Class D 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. This specialized uniform may include, based on tactical situations, the use of external ballistic carrier similar to that pictured in the Class B uniform. In these tactical circumstances, the unit’s supervisor may permit equipment on the carrier to be organized at their discretion. 5. All civilian and plain-clothes attire must be approved by the chief of police. 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. VII. 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. 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 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. VIII. HAIRSTYLES: GENERAL ORDER EMPLOYEE DRESS AND APPEARANCE GO – 16 PAGE 5 OF 12 A. Uniformed Personnel 1. Hairstyles must be maintained in a neat and professional manner. Hair coloring must be a natural, conservative shade, and present a professional and dignified appearance. If wigs and hairpieces are used, they must conform to this requirement. 2. Hair may touch the uniform shirt collar but not extend below the top portion of the uniform shirt collar. Hair may touch the top of the ear but may not cover any of the outer ears. Longer hair should be kept up in a bun or similar style so that it does not extend below the uniform collar. The only exception is if the hair is pulled back (ponytail or braided) to extend below the rear portion of the shirt and collar, but does not extend below the sides of the collar. Personnel are cautioned that this could present a safety issue during certain situations and are encouraged to use good judgment. 3. Sideburns will be neatly trimmed, not allowed to extend below the bottom of the earlobes, and must be squared at the bottom. B. Civilian Non-Uniformed Personnel 1. Hairstyles must be maintained in a neat and professional manner. Hair coloring must be a natural and conservative shade and present a professional, dignified appearance. If wigs and hairpieces are used, they must conform to this requirement. 2. Personnel with longer hair that work in areas or assignments which may pose a safety concern may be required to adjust their hairstyle to ensure safety as determined by their assignment. IX. FACIAL HAIR: 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 GENERAL ORDER EMPLOYEE DRESS AND APPEARANCE GO – 16 PAGE 6 OF 12 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. X. PIERCINGS A. No earrings will be worn by male employees. A single set of ‘Stud’ earrings are permitted to be worn by female employees. B. Ear piercings for, and the wearing of, plugs, tunnels, or similar jewelry are not permitted to be worn by male or female employees. C. Piercings and jewelry implants on an employee’s face, head, neck (above the shoulder blade), or hands are not permitted. D. 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. XI. TATTOOS AND BODY ORNAMENTATION – ALL PERSONNEL A. Prohibited Tattoos and Body Ornamentation: Tattoos or body ornamentation located anywhere on the body that is prejudicial to good order and discipline or is of a nature to bring discredit upon the Police Department, are prohibited. Examples include, but are not limited to, tattoos and body ornamentation that are drug-related, gang-related, extremist, obscene or indecent, sexist, or racist, as further defined below: 1. Extremist: Extremist tattoos or body ornamentation are those affiliated with, depicting, or symbolizing extremist philosophies, organizations, or activities. Extremist philosophies, organizations, and activities are those which advocate racial, gender, or ethnic hatred or intolerance; advocate, create, or engage in illegal discrimination based on race, color, gender, ethnicity, religion, or national origin; or advocate violence or other unlawful means of depriving individual rights under the U.S. Constitution and federal or state law. 2. Obscene or Indecent: GENERAL ORDER EMPLOYEE DRESS AND APPEARANCE GO – 16 PAGE 7 OF 12 Indecent tattoos or body ornamentation are those that are grossly offensive to modesty, decency, or propriety. 3. Sexist: Sexist tattoos or body ornamentation are those that advocate a philosophy that degrades or demeans a person based on gender or sexual preference. 4. Racist: Racist tattoos or body ornamentation are those that advocate a philosophy that degrades or demeans a person based on race, ethnicity, or national origin. 5. Violence: Those tattoos and body ornamentation that can be viewed as promoting the use of force, depicting killing, violence, or human remains. B. Tattoos: 1. Employees may not have prohibited tattoos as described in Section XI. A, even if they are not visible. Otherwise, employees may have tattoos, and they may be visible as authorized herein. a. Tattoos may be displayed on the arms and the wrists. b. Tattoos may be displayed on the legs while in an authorized uniform. 2. Any question regarding whether an applicant’s or employee’s tattoos are prohibited or not shall be referred to the Chief of Police who shall make the final determination. 3. Employees may opt to cover up their tattoos for a variety of reasons, including future undercover assignments. Approved methods to cover up visible tattoos include the following: a. The use of makeup. b. Wearing an issued long sleeve uniform shirt. c. Use of compression sleeves. GENERAL ORDER EMPLOYEE DRESS AND APPEARANCE GO – 16 PAGE 8 OF 12 d. Wearing a long-sleeve compression shirt. Note: Compression sleeves worn with a uniform will be in a color consistent with the color of the uniform; navy blue, black, gray, or consistent with the employee’s skin tone. 4. Tattoos, brandings, or body markings and other body art on an employee’s face, head, neck (above the shoulder blade), or hands are not permitted. C. Body Ornamentation 1. Body ornamentation is prohibited while on-duty, while representing the Longwood Police Department in an official capacity, while in uniform, or while working an off-duty detail in uniform. 2. Employees may not have prohibited body ornamentation as described in Section XI, A. of this directive regardless of whether visible or not visible. Any question regarding whether an applicant’s or employee’s tattoos or body ornamentation is prohibited or not, shall be referred to the Chief of Police who shall make the final determination. 3. Brandings, mutilations or body markings and other body art on an employee’s face, head, neck (above the shoulder blade), or hands are not permitted. XII. 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. GENERAL ORDER EMPLOYEE DRESS AND APPEARANCE GO – 16 PAGE 9 OF 12 Class A Uniform GENERAL ORDER EMPLOYEE DRESS AND APPEARANCE GO – 16 PAGE 10 OF 12 Class B Uniform GENERAL ORDER EMPLOYEE DRESS AND APPEARANCE GO – 16 PAGE 11 OF 12 Class C Traffic Uniform GENERAL ORDER EMPLOYEE DRESS AND APPEARANCE GO – 16 PAGE 12 OF 12 Class D Utility Uniform