Quite a biased Wikipedia article. If you read the sources, you can read quotes from the officers themselves, who openly discuss their tattoos, but say they are

Quite a biased Wikipedia article. If you read the sources, you can read quotes from the officers themselves, who openly discuss their tattoos, but say they are being misinterpreted as rogue law enforcement groups when they are just particular stations bonding together and displaying their pride. > [the officer] bristled at the idea of calling the groups “deputy gangs” ... state penal code uses the term “gangs” to describe rogue law enforcement groups. Repeatedly, Murakami insisted that the tattoos symbolize hard work and “station pride” and that there was “no nefarious connotation” to having deputy subgroups operate inside the department. Obviously law enforcement isn't perfect, but we should show both sides of the issue, and this wikipedia article is selecting only one side from already-biased articles. The result is to dilute the term "gang." We have actual gangs to deal with, like MS13, which literally worships satan and seeks out and kills babies when "the beast" demands it. E.g. https://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/ms-13-gang-members-accused-of-killing-teen-claimed-satan-wanted-a-soul/6S3X5XJM77RSIRORE3UZZX3U7U/ https://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/ms-13-gang-members-accused-... That's a far cry from sherrifs with tattoos.