Starting June 17, police officers in New York City will have to say goodbye to their beards as the department’s ban on facial hair goes into effect. Even the most be-whiskered cops will have to dust off their safety razors to comply with the new policy.
According to the Daily News, the facial hair policy, which was initially reported by the Post in February, will now be enforced for all police officers, school safety agents, and traffic enforcement agents. This is part of the department’s larger initiative to ensure that all uniformed members of the service uphold the highest standards of professionalism. A police spokesperson confirmed this update.
The top aide of Eric Adams has been hit with another lawsuit, marking the third one so far. The lawsuit claims that the aide has been bragging about his power to punish NYPD officers. This is a serious allegation and could potentially have major repercussions. It will be interesting to see how this situation plays out and what the outcome will be.
According to the order, wearing goatees will still be considered inappropriate, as well as the chinstrap-style or “designer” beards that feature brand names, patterns, or logos shaved into them.
In 2020, the NYPD made changes to its facial hair requirements after a class-action lawsuit was filed by Masood Syed, a Muslim officer. Syed was suspended for not complying with the department’s maximum beard length, which he refused to trim down from his 1-inch beard.
The settlement of the case took place in 2018.
New York City police officers have been sporting mustaches and sideburns since the department was established in 1845. However, there will now be restrictions on these facial hair styles. Despite this, officers will still be permitted to wear them.
In an effort to improve its image, the NYPD has been taking steps to ensure that its officers meet the department’s appearance standards. This move comes after a series of initiatives aimed at cleaning up the department’s reputation, as its leaders look to uphold a high level of professionalism among its ranks.
During a February meeting, Chief of Patrol John Chell conveyed to department brass a return to old-school methods, as seen in a video obtained by The Post. He stated, “Basically what I’m telling everybody in this room is we’re going back to old school.”
“We aim to revive certain traditions that have been lost over the past few years.”
During that time, Chell announced some upcoming changes, which involved stricter enforcement on open collars and knit caps.
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