If you are looking into joining the police force, you are going to need to look the part. One of the most important aspects of being a police officer is the grooming standards that accompany it. As you may know, male police officers need to have short and tidy hair while female police officers need to try their best to have their long hair in a tidy bun or ponytail. But what about facial hair? Is there room for those with religious beliefs? Are police officers allowed to have facial hair? Our NYPD disqualification lawyer explores the following topic in the article below. Continue reading for more about the NYPD facial hair policy.
Can Police Officers Have Facial Hair?
One of the most important aspects of a successful police force is uniformity. This has to do with how they dress and how they groom themselves. Having a visually uniform police force makes it easier for the department to act as a cohesive unit and also makes them generate more respect from outsiders. So, most police departments prohibit facial hair on the grounds that if no one has any facial hair, then the police force will be uniform. However, there are some police departments that allow their members to have some facial hair for both personal and religious reasons. While most police departments will not allow facial hair, large departments like the NYPD will have a different set of rules than a smaller police department because of the diversity and scale of the talent pool.
NYPD Grooming Standards for Facial Hair
The NYPD was once a police department where facial hair was not allowed at all. However, there have been recent modifications to this NYPD facial hair policy and grooming policy. For one, not all kinds of facial hair are permitted. Certain styles like goatees and long beards are forbidden – unless it could be proven that this kind of style is necessary for religious reasons. Similarly, facial hair that has any kind of design or words is also banned for members of the NYPD. The new policy actually limits beards to a half-inch length, unless there are some undercover officers that need to let theirs grow longer for operational reasons. Lastly, droopy mustaches and sideburns that go below the earlobes are prohibited as well. This policy also applies to other areas of the NYPD like the school safety unit, crossing guard, or mounted unit.
More About Disqualification Appeals
We are a legal practice that is dedicated to making sure that our clients are well-represented when they begin to combat their NYPD proposed disqualification. There are many reasons why the police force would choose to disqualify candidates for the NYPD, with the most common kinds of disqualifications being NYPD medical disqualifications, NYPD psychological disqualifications, and NYPD character disqualifications. No matter the kind of disqualification proposal you have received, our professional legal service is here to help. Contact us today to learn more about NYPD facial hair policy and appealing a psychological disqualification and what we could offer you or a loved one.