AURORA, Colo. -- Police officers in Aurora have been given a new regulation: Cover your tattoos or have them removed.

"Some people find tattoos a bit offensive or distracting," said Aurora Police Detective Shannon Lucy.

The new policy started June 15.

"I was very taken aback," said Aurora Police Sgt. Graham Dunne. "I am offended by it; I take it personally."

Dunne said it's not so much the inconvenience of the sleeves, or the heat that it generates, as it is being told that he looks unprofessional.

"It was often a conversation starter for people. I never had anyone who was offended by my tattoos or taken aback by my tattoos," said Dunne. "It was always positive."

Lucy said Aurora police will still hire people with tattoos.

"But they will need to understand when they come here what the policy is and they will need to be covered," said Lucy.

"I would like to see the department focus more on physical fitness standards than tattoos on a officer," said Dunne. "The public wants an officer who comes to help them to be physically fit, they don't really care if they have a military or patriotic tattoo on their arm."

Officers have the option to purchase long-sleeve shirts for $30, makeup kits for $30 or a pair of slide-on half sleeves to wear under their uniform for $20 if they don’t want to get the tattoo removed, which could cost thousands of dollars.

7NEWS checked with other law enforcement agencies across the metro area and found most have some sort of tattoo policy, which requires officers or deputies to have tattoos covered.

Denver police officers are allowed to have and show tattoos as long as they are not offensive.