New Policy Describes Acceptable Police Grooming

By Andrew Gorosko

A new policy approved by the Police Commission describes in detail what makes for acceptable personal grooming among police officers.

Police Commission members approved the grooming policy at a January 2 session, but copies of the document did not become available until late that week.

The standards are intended to ensure safety, discipline, and uniformity, in addition to promoting espirit-de-corps, as well as public respect for police. The policy requires that police officers be neat and well-groomed to foster a competent, reliable, intelligent and professional appearance to the public.

The policy contains a section on the appearance of police officers’ hair.

Hair must be clean and neatly combed and shall not be worn longer than the top of the shirt collar at the back of the neck. Hair must not interfere with the wearing of standard head gear or police equipment.

Any male facial hair must be neat and trimmed and must not interfere with the proper fitting of various protective equipment. Male officers must be clean shaven when reporting to duty. Male officers’ sideburns must be trimmed and rectangular-shaped.

If police officers’ hair is dyed, it shall be black, brown, blond, red, gray or some other closely related natural shade. Hair adornments or accoutrements are forbidden unless they are conservative and are not loud in character or conspicuous.

Sunglasses worn by the police must be conservative in style with black, brown, gold or silver frames.

If used, cosmetics must be conservatively applied. False eyelashes are prohibited.

Fingernails must be trimmed to extend no farther than one-eighth inch from the edge of the finger. Nail polish must be clear or conservative. Multicolored nail polish, airbrushed designs, and nail accessories are prohibited.

Rings are not encouraged to be worn while on duty, but police may wear rings on their ring fingers or little fingers.

While in uniform, bracelet wear is prohibited, except for medic alert bracelets. Exposed necklaces may not be worn while in uniform. Only one necklace may be worn, provided that it is worn within the shirt collar and the necklace is no wider than one-quarter inch.

Males shall not wear earrings while on duty. Females may wear earrings provided that only one set is worn and that they do not hang below the ear.

No other body piercing jewelry shall be worn in the tongue, eyebrows, cheeks, or other visible body parts while on duty. Dental ornamentation is prohibited unless deemed medically necessary.

Officer’s tattoos that were visible before the grooming policy went into effect on January 2 are permitted, provided that the tattoos are not offensive, inappropriate, or unprofessional. Objectionable tattoos must be concealed by the police uniform. Tattoos that are acquired after January 2 must be in a body area that is covered by the uniform.

Police who are working on special assignments may be allowed to deviate from the grooming standards with the approval of their supervisors.

Some town police have worked undercover for the state police’s Statewide Narcotics Task Force, during which time they may assume various appearances to enhance their investigatory work.

Chief Kehoe has said that the grooming policy is a “guide” for police officers on what is acceptable in terms of maintaining a professional appearance in law enforcement. “It always comes down to ‘reasonableness,’” he has said.

Uniformity of appearance is an important visual aspect of law enforcement, as police must establish a presence of authority in their work, according to the police chief.