Critics say such menacing symbols show vigilante mentality.
The officers, many of whom have been relieved of duty in connection with the department's ongoing corruption probe, had themselves tattooed with the image of a grinning skull with demonic eyes, several officers involved in the unit said. Atop the skull is a cowboy hat adorned with a police badge. The tattoos are versions of patches that still more officers wear on their jackets. Many of the LAPD's specialized units sport some sort of menacing logo, such as that of the controversial Special Investigation Section, a cloaked man armed with a dagger. Tattoos, patches, law enforcement cliques and clubs are not uncommon among police agencies throughout the country, experts say.