France Authorizes Cops to Sport Certain Beards and Tattoos

French police officers have been given approval to sport beards and tattoos on the job so long as they respect certain conditions, officials said Friday.

Responding to a police officers' union request, officials said French cops may wear beards on duty "as long as they are clean and well-trimmed," and may indulge in the current male fashion of letting stubble grow two or three days between shaves.

Police officers of both genders hankering for tattoos, meanwhile, may get inked so long as the result "is not contrary to (police) ethics" by carrying religious, political or racist messages, or is otherwise capable of "provoking clashes with the population."

In addition to the general authorization, the police union has asked officials to provide detailed directives on the Dos and Don'ts of sporting facial hair and tats while in uniform.