New York police officers will soon be required to maintain a beard length of only 1mm, which is equivalent to the size of a sharpened pencil tip.
Eric Adams’ chief aide has been hit with a third lawsuit which alleges that he boasted about his power to discipline members of the NYPD. The lawsuit claims that the aide, who is Adams’ top adviser on public safety, made inappropriate comments about the police department and its officers. The latest lawsuit adds to the growing number of legal challenges that have been filed against the aide, who has been accused of creating a hostile work environment and engaging in discriminatory behavior. Despite the allegations, Adams has stood by his aide and defended him against the lawsuits.
In 2020, the NYPD made changes to its facial hair policy after a class-action lawsuit was filed by Masood Syed, a Muslim officer who had been suspended for not complying with the maximum beard length requirement of the department. The new policy now allows officers to maintain a 1-inch beard, giving them the freedom to adhere to their religious beliefs while serving in law enforcement.
The year 2018 saw the resolution of the case.
According to the Police Benevolent Association, it was deemed too complicated to fairly determine which bearded officers were eligible for a medical or religious exemption from the policy. This was cited as one of the reasons why the department decided to change the policy and allow officers to have beards without needing an exemption. The association conveyed this information to the outlet on Thursday.
New York City police officers have been sporting mustaches and sideburns since the department was established in 1845. However, there are now some restrictions on these facial hair styles. Despite this, officers are still permitted to wear them.
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In an effort to improve its image, the NYPD has implemented various measures to improve the appearance of its officers. Department leaders have made a concerted effort to enforce stricter appearance standards, resulting in a push to revert back to a more traditional look. As part of this effort, the NYPD has taken steps to ensure that its officers are presenting themselves in a professional manner.
During a meeting in February, Chief of Patrol John Chell informed department brass that they were going back to the old school, as revealed in a video obtained by The Post.
“We aim to revive certain traditions that may have been lost in the past few years.”
During that time, Chell had also hinted about upcoming changes that included stricter policies against wearing open collars and knit caps.
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