Just in time for No-Shave November, Virginia Beach Police Department allows officers to grow beards

Virginia Beach — Don’t expect officers patrolling the streets with hipster beards or handlebar mustaches, but the Virginia Beach Police Department is letting its hair down a bit.

The department has suspended its policy that bans officers from having facial hair.

Just in time for No-Shave November, new Police Chief Paul Neudigate began temporarily allowing officers on Nov. 8 to grow beards to see if the department would like to permanently change the policy.

The trial period will end Dec. 31. At that time, the grooming standards for all employees will be evaluated.

Police recruits don’t get to join in the fun, though; they must remain clean shaven.

“Departments across the country are adapting to changing norms and facial hair for public service agencies has become more accepted,” the police department said in a Facebook post. “The Virginia Beach Police Department believes this small change could promote respectful, interpersonal communication with members of our community while increasing morale within the agency.”

Police departments nationwide have grappled with whether to allow facial hair. Some departments that decided to allow beards reversed course when the COVID-19 pandemic became a threat.

In April, the police force in Prince George County, Maryland, announced officers would need to return to clean-shaven faces so a N-95 mask would properly seal on the face. About 25 officers reported having a skin condition that prevents them from shaving. They were placed on paid leave during the pandemic, according to local media reports.

Here’s an overview of Virginia Beach’s temporary facial hair policies:

• All facial hair must be natural in color and officers must maintain a professional appearance. No special designs or custom trims are permitted.
• Beards must be neatly trimmed and remain above the neckline and cannot exceed a quarter-inch in length.
• Mustaches may not be twisted or waxed. They should be neatly and closely trimmed and shouldn’t extend over the lip-line of the upper lip or beyond or below the corner of the mouth.
• Goatee hair can’t extend more than one inch from the corner of the mouth or more than 1.5 inches below the chin and cannot exceed a quarter-inch in length.
• Employees with facial hair must keep a shaving kit readily available to quickly remove facial hair in the event they are required to utilize a self-contained breathing apparatus or gas mask.

Neudigate encouraged the public to weigh in on whether the policy should be changed for good. Those who wish to provide feedback should email vbpd@vbgov.com or may comment on the department’s social media post.

Alissa Skelton, 757-995-9043, alissa.skelton@pilotonline.com