Police Tattoo Ban Causes Stir

Combo photo from Koyphanit Kpt and Police Academy of Cambodia's Facebook

Social media users complain of bias



PHNOM PENH--A ban on people with tattoos sitting the entrance exam for the police service has sparked a flurry of interest and some criticism.



Being tattoo-free is a condition for the recruitment of 200 students for the scholarship exam for the Bachelor of Police Science at the Police Academy of Cambodia.



The ban has been in force for three years but the reaction came when it was posted on Wednesday.



Some people expressed opposition to the ban on social media, calling it a form of discrimination.



Academy vice-president Lieutenant General Svay Chanda said the restriction was because the academy does not want any identification or marks on recruits’ bodies.



Applicants can remove tattoos if they intend to take the exam.



Asked if the academy did not want members with tattoos because tattoos symbolized a bad attitude, Lt. Gen. Svay Chanda said, “We all can see and understand the beliefs and opinions that people in current society have on those who have tattoos.



“We do not want any confusion,” he said. “In our society, the public view tattooed people differently. Some think negatively on those who have tattoos while some have positive opinions.”



However, there are no restrictions on people with tattoos from sitting the civil service entrance exam and the entrance exam for the army, the military police or the bodyguards, said Defense Ministry spokesman General Chhum Socheath and Civil Service Ministry spokesman Youk Bunna.



Lt. Gen. Svay Chanda said the police tattoo ban had been in force for three years but the public seemed to be very interested when they saw the academy notice.



Svay Chanda, however, said that no one had accused the academy of discrimination.



Those who join the police force must first go through police science training. Two schools offer the training, the academy and the National Police School in the provinces.



There are four levels of a police force under the control of the Ministry of Interior.



These are: The General Commission of the National Police, which is the highest police institution; the Capital-Provincial Police Commission which is the second-highest police force in the capital-province; the Police Inspectorate which is a third level police institution in cities and districts; and the administrative police station which is the lowest institution in the commune.


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