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Kentuckiana Ink

Raw video: Interview with Buddy Wheeler of Tattoo Charlie's

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Tattoos the new fashion accessory, people from all walks of life getting inked

Louisville, Ky. (WHAS11) - State lawmakers call the images "disturbing." They were looking at photos of body piercing and body art shown today at a meeting in Frankfort.  But what really disturbed lawmakers is the lack of oversight and regulation for those who cut, slice and punch holes in skin. 

You may not be considering a ring for your nose or jewelry for your belly button.  But if you are, the Kentucky body piercing artist who will cut your skin isn't required to have any training.  That's a shocker to lawmakers, along with the images they saw today.

State regulators say Tattoo Charlie’s might be Kentucky’s most reputable tattoo and body piercing shop.  The piercing artists go through a training program to learn the proper sterilization and hygiene needed to do the most basic piercings.

Owner Buddy wheeler says the state should be requiring that of all body piercers and body artists.

As state lawmakers discovered today, all it takes is a studio, $120 for the proper licenses and money for sterilization machines and you're in business as a body artist.

During today's legislative hearing in Frankfort, representatives of the State Public Health Department showed images that lawmakers called disturbing and they didn't even see tongue splitting, which is completely unregulated by the state. 

So legislators appear ready to pass a body piercing law, to require training and better health regulations. 

State lawmakers asked members of the State Health Department to come up with some proposed legislation that they could consider in next year’s General Assembly session.

Click here to submit your tattoo photos

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Years ago only hoodlums were the ones with tatts, it is a respectful gesture to keep them covered and others will respect them as well if they don't look like criminals

This story has nothing to do with whether or not a person likes or dislikes tattoos, or body piercings, for that matter. It has everything to do with trying to keep the public at large safe from people who can't be bothered to go through the appropriate channels to learn safe methods of performing body modifications. It's easy to take a needle and poke a hole in someone else. It's not so easy to do it in a sterile manner, with correct placement, as well as knowledge of the anatomy of the area said piercing will be occupying. As a body modification professional, I wish all states would regulate and enforce licensing.

I personally feel we don't live in a free country anymore and now just to add to it they want to tell us who we can and can't go to,to have a piercing or tatoo,and besides looks are only skin deep it is your body u should be able to choose who and where u go to have them done.

I am a successfull bussiness owner, a father and a professional tattooer and i respect any one who can fearlessly express themselves......every hear the story DON'T JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS COVER!!!!!to judge someone with tattoos is no different than being a racist!it is a personal choice to make and no one has the right to tell anyone how they should

As long as they are not tacky, whats the problem

They are unprofessional and scary...

They display a bad image. Picture your waitress all covered in tattoos or perhaps the judge.

I feel like we are lucky we have Police Officers at all with the low pay they receive. I say unless the tatoo's are offensive or vulgar, let it be. Lets worry about the gangs, and crime instead of tatoo's...hmmm..

We need our officers to look the part as well as act it.

Almost everyone I know has a tattoo. I think this policy is ridiculous and may discourage future officers from becoming a police officer.

I am not fond of tatoos, but I don't care if a police officer has one. As long as they do their job that is all that matters to me. You can't always judge the book by its cover. Tatoos don't always mean that a person that has one or many are sleezy.

It is a piece of art like a painting it might be offensive to some but they wouldn't cover the painting up. I'm a parent of two grown children, they both have tatoos and I also have one.

i made the mistake at 28 of getting a tattoo while serving overseas. i had it placed out of sight - discreet. i have made lots of bad choices through my life - but a tatttoo. that ranks up in the top ten. gravity happens - something you really don't consider when your young. often i've wished it was part of a gang theme - so that i could get it removed. nope... just stupid. it's not vulgur. just a dumb thing. and the only one who is punished is me - no low cut dresses or blouses. bathing suits - no likely. i'm embarressed for me. its not that i worry about what the other person thinks. i know it was a stupid thing to do. for any young women - out there considering something like a rose on your breast. let me warn you - in 30 years it will look like a tree! and i know it could be worse - i could have gained weight and it looked like a big shrub by now...

LMPD needs to quit wasting time thinking up goofy policies that affect hard-working officers - and that will only serve to drive them off AND drive off good recruit candidates. Revoke the silly policy now.

I think this is a stupid policy, leave the officers alone. As long as they are not racist, derogatory, or gang related who cares. I agree that facial, hand and neck tattoos are bad, but an officer with an arm tattoo should not be punished.

We're well over 100 short, and recruiting among young men/women in the military - many of whom tattoos. Same for EVERY young college student I know. The best cop I know has military tats. What's the problem?

I think it looks more professional if you don't have any tattoo's. I would personally like one, say on the shoulder or somewhere like that. The people who kill me or the ones with one on their hands or neck or even their face and expect people not to think stereotypical things about them. What would it be if someone saw a police officer with a tattoo of anything, trying to calm down a murder scene, and they have a big tattoo on their neck. Common stereotype.

by the time the next batch of officers come in there are going to be TONS of tattoos on them. Tattoos aren't as tabo as they use to be. I think if they pass this it will be harder to recruit new officers because just about everyone now has tattoos and may not be able to hide them or not want too.

Unless the tattoo is vulgar or racist it should be allowed. If they make a policy for new hires that would be different, but to come in and tell someone that they have to cover up something they have had for years is ridiculous.

Tattoos are very trashy looking. I would like to have them banned!!

What do you think?