There has been controversy for a few days over the rules relating to the personal decorum of Rome’s local police officers, in particular with regard to the imminence of the Jubilee. The local police command has, in fact, issued a circular with specific indications regarding hair cutting, make-up and the way of wearing a beard for women and men in uniform, highlighting that “the jubilee celebrations will have a significant national connotation and therefore it is necessary that all staff have impeccable behavior both personally and in terms of uniform”. The group leader of the Raggi civic list in the Capitoline Assembly, Antonio De Santis, however, released part of the document on Facebook, saying he was perplexed and overshadowing accusations of sexism as the indications are divided between those for women and those for men. For the latter, in particular, the document would prohibit wearing, when in uniform, earrings, piercings and the like, keeping one’s hair “clean, tidy, well cared for and, if dyed, of a natural colour”, providing specific indications also on cutting hair, sideburns and beard etc. For women too, there are indications regarding hair cutting, accessories for collecting it or keeping it in order, but also facial makeup and so on.
Marco Milani, of the local police workers’ union (Sulpl), however, toned down the controversy, highlighting that “there is nothing new, there has been a circular on the correct use of the uniform for many years, precisely since 2012. Unlike other employees, we are a police force which as such is required to wear a uniform, this implies also having visibility which, in fact, is uniform, without excesses, regardless of gender”. Indications also confirmed by the general command of the local police, which reiterated that the provisions date back to 2012 “which today it was necessary to resume and update, trying to provide some clarifications, also in light of the new hires. There is no desire for discrimination of any kind, gender or sexist, it is only reiterated what is already provided for by the regulation and by various circulars issued over time, with reference to general rules of conduct in respect of the uniform and the function that the agents they carry out.”
