Earrings probably won't become de rigueur among the ranks of Portland's Finest, but policemen wishing to adorn their ears with dainty pieces of precious metal may now do so. The city attorney's office has advised the police to allow male officers to wear earrings after a policeman filed a labor grievance recently. The office got involved because of a grievance filed by an officer whose name is being withheld, said Stan Peters, president of the Portland Police Association said. The grievance challenged rules on proper attire that specified female officers must wear small, non-dangling earrings, but didn't really address the question of ear decorations for males. Police officials say they'll follow the city attorney's advice, but they don't have to like it. ``I don't think the public is prepared to see a male police officer wear an earring,'' said Capt. Wayne Inman. ``But I do see a shift in public attitudes to allow police officers to mirror society's dress code.''
