This week, we spoke with KCPD Officer Vito Mazzara for this week’s Tattoo edition. Vito, in his own words, only has two tattoos, but they’re interconnected and they cover almost 80% of his body.

Both arms are sleeved including his hands, both sides of his chest, a stomach piece that goes “rib to rib” and a tattoo on his leg.

Vito’s artist is Tyler Moody at Surreal Tattoos on 39th street in midtown. Mazzara’s left arm was a blank canvas and Moody has transformed it into a bio-mechanical masterpiece that was done free-hand with no pre-drawing whatsoever. The entire sleeve was done over an eight month period on bi-weekly Friday sessions.

Mazzara’s want of tattoos began when he started on the department eight years ago.

“I love the sessions,” Mazzara said. “It all started with my kids and my parents and they are all represented in the tattoos I have. After going through the experiences of the tattoos and the experiences I had on the police department, those tattoos became my time where I decompress. Police officers need that time to just sit and be open with an artist. We need that outlet and tattoos are mine,” Mazzara said.

What’s next for Mazzara? Finishing his stomach piece on June 15th.

“You get addicted to that needle and that ink and you just gotta keep goin’ back.”