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Police to be banned from wearing crosses and headscarvesWednesday 13 July 2011 A new dress code for the police includes a ban on religious symbols such as crosses and headscarves, the Nederlands Dagblad reports on Wednesday. The code emphasises that the police are there for all citizens and obvious religious affiliations are not desirable, the paper says. Instead, the aim is for 'lifestyle neutrality'. Large tattoos and unusual piercings are also no longer acceptable because they could frighten or intimidate people. Police officers with large tattoos will have to cover them up. The new requirements have been around for some time but their implementation was delayed by the collapse of the previous government and objections from police unions, the paper says. Originally, the new dress code was to have been enshrined in law but union objections led to the creation of a code of conduct instead. The unions were keen to ensure flexibility in the rules and 'some room for officers' own identities,' a spokesman said. © DutchNews.nl
Can't the head scarves be covered up too? By Joe | July 13, 2011 4:41 PM Well, this is a bit extreme to say the least, I think regulation gone barmy! Next there will be regulation on their underwear !! By PhysicsMan | July 13, 2011 4:55 PM I agree Shtua. With all the budget cuts, bad economy, redundancies, falling house prices, etc. I would think politicians have bigger issues to spend our tax money on. We can all thank Wilder's for this new idiocy. I guess we will now have to pay for a "fashion police" to police the police. I hope they also police the politicians and those with distasteful bleached blond hair. By Quest | July 13, 2011 5:09 PM It makes sense to me. Besides we live in a secular state, the religious symbols can unexpectedly offend people in tense situations. By George | July 13, 2011 7:20 PM Firstly, I'm guessing any police officer wearing a cross has it under his or her shirt. By Donaugh | July 13, 2011 8:20 PM You're not getting the point at all Shtua. This issue has raged in other countries (often with intense court battles) and gone completely the other way. In most English-speaking countries I believe Sikh police officers are allowed to wear their traditional headdress and kirpan for example. But not the Netherlands. It says a lot about the Netherlands that it requires its police officers to show "lifestyle neutrality", rather than respecting minority lifestyles. By Zack | July 14, 2011 1:20 AM
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Oh what mighty issues! Might as well not be caught with one earing, a crew-cut, a rosary in the pocket maybe. Totally laughing my head off!
By Shtua | July 13, 2011 10:48 AM