Officer wins in hair-dye ruling

HONG KONG (AP) -- A veteran police officer who was reprimanded for refusing to restore her dyed hair back to its natural dark brown color has won her day in court.
High Court Judge Michael Hartmann declared the reprimand against Senior Inspector Sharon Lim, 36, invalid before even starting any proceedings on the matter Monday, the Apple Daily reported.
Lim had defied a rule, imposed in January 2001, requiring officers to keep their hair "neat and tidily trimmed and in its natural or original color."
Hartmann apparently thought the police were being too strict.
"She is a police officer, but it does not mean that she has to look like an American Marine," the South China Morning Post newspaper quoted the judge as saying.
Lim had argued the only way to restore her natural tint would be to re-dye her hair -- thus breaking the rule again.
Police spokeswoman Kelly Chan said the department is still studying the case.
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