Our say: Editor's notebook | Maryland Gazette (HometownGlenBurnie.com)

Last year the chief issued a policy requiring his officers to cover any tattoos while on duty. The justification: Some of the markings are "offensive" to certain ethnic groups or "symbolic of gangs or groups associated with illegal activity."

Chief Teare viewed this as an exercise of his authority to set appearance and grooming standards for his officers. But he landed in a dispute with the police officers' union, which argued that wearing long-sleeve shirts during a steamy Maryland summer is a change in working conditions - and thus something that should have been negotiated.

Last week a federal arbitrator ruled in favor of the union. The chief's policy was rescinded. And, no doubt, given the weather, any tattoos promptly went back on display.

As long as the officers are responsible professionals, we don't care greatly if their bare arms give testimony of prior loyalties, whether to their mothers or the U.S. Marine Corps. But if this bothers the chief, perhaps he can arrange for discounts for tattoo removal.

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RUNNING ON EMPTY - It's easy to understand what motorists are feeling as gasoline crosses the $4-a-gallon threshold. But there was something baffling about last week's stories on driver behavior.

AAA Mid-Atlantic, according to an Associated Press report, has recorded a 15 percent increase in members calling in with empty tanks. Local drivers admit to driving around looking to save a few pennies per gallon, or pump in a few dollars each day to ease the shock.

These behaviors are obviously counterproductive. Even without the hazards and inconvenience of getting stranded on the road, constantly letting your tank go bone-dry can damage your fuel pump, requiring costly repairs. Hunting for a penny or two lower price burns up any savings.

And we don't understand the economic logic involved in pumping only a few dollars at a time.

Right now the price of gas is constantly rising; you can count on it being a few cents higher by the end of the week. So what's the benefit of procrastinating about filling up? Doesn't it make more sense to fill up to the brim with the comparatively cheaper gas you can get on Monday, rather than waiting until Friday to fill an empty tank with more expensive gas?