US police file beard ban lawsuit

[TechBear_Seattle]

US police file beard ban lawsuit

Four police officers in Texas have filed a lawsuit arguing that a ban on wearing beards is discriminatory.

The officers are suing Houston and its police department, claiming status and pay have been reduced.

The department imposed the ban in 2005, saying gas masks could not be sealed over facial hair in bioterror attacks.

The officers say the ban is unfair on those with a particular skin condition that reacts to shaving and primarily affects black men.

The condition is called pseudofolliculitis barbae and sufferers who shave can be subjected to rashes, ingrowing hairs and severe irritation.

The article continues at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7118888.stm

Such a regulation also violates the rights of Sikhs, some Orthodox Jews and others who have religious prohibitions against shaving.

[meegbear]

1. Bear discrimination!

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

2. Used to be...

The cops around here kinda looked like...normal. These days, most of them, especially the young ones, have shaved or near shaved heads. With attitudes to match.

Shaving your head when you have hair. Go figure.

[meegbear]

4. I shave my head ...

but I am also 42 and have major 'male pattern baldness'. Unless you're going bald prematurely or in the military, I don't see a good reason for it.

[dmallind]

11. Ease of maintenance and styling

I have a more corporate look than I used to because as I age and expand my face is too round for my old short (but not skull level) flat-top, but let's be realistic - not everyone who has very short hair is a candidate for the Aryan Brotherhood. I liked it because my hair is not fond of staying put and I loathe spending inordinate amounts of time and "product" to make it do so. Especially in an often rough and tumble job such as LEO's have, grooming can very easily be mussed up, and even a liability in an altercation - where longer hair provides a handy weapon for your opponent.

Actually now I think about it there are an awful lot of good reasons, especially for cops, to sport short haircuts.

[nealmhughes]

10. You know, it is to identify with the gung ho unit cohesiveness that one finds in some branches of

the military. Which is odd, because the Navy regs used to prohibit head-shaving unless one were mostly bald! It is considered an "eccentric" hairstyle. But I see sailors on TV with the complete # 1 crop and have to wonder, what do the officers and chiefs think about this and regs?

Not that I care that someone shaves their head or not, but the reasons why can be a dissertation and best seller on the academic circuit!

[eFriendly]

3. Who wants to be pulled over by Grizzly Adams, anyways? n/t

[ret5hd]

5. Next, the motorcycle cops will sue to wear "colors".

on edit: and their transformation will then be complete.

[eFriendly]

6. I agree with the ban.

In my area, it is only a very small number of officers who grow beards (mostly motorcycle officers) seasonally. I've even heard that some of the officers grow their beards for charities too. On top of the reasons stated in the article, I feel that beards give an unprofessional, untidy look. They detract from the uniform. And taking into account the increased militarization of our local police and sheriff's departments, since beards are not allowed in the military I agree with banning them from law enforcement agencies. This should not be a problem since a large number of our police force is ex-military.

If shaving and keeping a professional appearance is against a person's religion or whatever, then law enforcement should not be that person's career choice. If there is a medical condition, maybe a 'shaving pass' could be granted until the condition clears.

[NeedleCast]

9. Can't Have Our

Authoritarians looking unathoritarian. Breaks the image, dontcha know.

[NeedleCast]

7. Considering the Air Quality

in Houston, a bio/gas terror attack would probably go unnoticed.

I say go with the beard.

[SoCalDem]

8. Aw shit.. now what will closeted republican legislators do?

:rofl:

[Echo In Light]

12. I still have my navel-length long hair and beard

But then again, I never wanted to be an "authority." Frankly I find it way creepy how most cops shave their heads like neo NAZI skinheads.

[SheilaT]

13. I understand that

fire fighters cannot grow beards because of a similar issue with being able to wear tight-fitting face makes on the job.

This is a valid job-related requirement, and not discrimination against someone who's religious beliefs require a beard or who has a skin condition making shaving problematical.

t\The police department gas mask in case of a bioterror attack strikes me as a slightly different issue, since that's a hypothetical which may or may not occur. But in reality, how many potential police officers would be growing beards? I suspect it would be a tiny minority which means that the hypothetical bioterror attack situation would hardly involve enough police officers to make a difference in public safety.

[wuushew]

14. Beards are not incompatible with gas masks.

But Goldstein, 58, never has been the active duty chaplain that the military needs most. He works a day job at the New York State Division of Housing. Still, his beard has seen its share of action each time he has been called on for overseas duty. He was the only Jewish chaplain in Grenada in 1983. More recently, in 2003, he was in Iraq for two months and helped set up a sukkah in Saddam Hussein’s palace.

And Goldstein said that during all his assignments, he has had a gas mask that fit him snugly. Before he went off for the first Gulf War for seven months, Goldstein had to demonstrate that he could put on the mask in eight seconds, like the other soldiers at Fort Dix, and he did so without a problem.

“The mask issue is bogus,” Goldstein said, before speculating that the larger reason for the rule is the military’s desire for uniformity in appearance.



http://www.forward.com/articles/beard-ban-deters-chabad-rabbis-from-becoming-chapl/

[TechBear_Seattle]

16. Excellent points

I had not considered the many observant (and commonly bearded) Jews in the Israeli army. Those soldiers all too often rely on gas masks to protect their health; if they can wear both beards and gas masks, why can't American soldiers and police officers?

[wuushew]

15. kick

:kick: