Grooming Question

[dvpikes]

A question i've had since i've thought about being an LEO, my department i recently got hired at, like most others, only allows a mustache as far as facial hair goes.

I can see why most depts have hair standards (i'm more bald than mr clean), as well as not having a beard down to your navel but I was just wondering why a mustache was the only facial hair most depts allowed?

[Citicop]

If cops could have goatees, then we wouldn't be able to tell who the Feds are at conferences and training.



-Citicop.

[retdetsgt]

Because we're paramilitary and the military doesn't allow it. My department started allowing short beards quite a few years ago. The beard can't be more than about 1/4 inch long. We had a chief for a few years who was former LAPD who banned them, but they came back when he left. When they were first allowed, a lot of people grew them, but most shaved them after a while.

The S.O. here in the 70's had no grooming standards. They had deputies with shoulder length hair and beards as long as they liked. They looked funny, but it didn't effect how they did their jobs.

I never liked beards all that much, but my mustache was a fu manchu when I could get away with it.

[Big Sexy]

If cops could have goatees, then we wouldn't be able to tell who the Feds are at conferences and training.



-Citicop.

Hey!!

BIG goes between clean shaven, goatee, beard, close cropped hair, longer hair & faux hawk. BIG is versitial

[Kimble]

If cops could have goatees, then we wouldn't be able to tell who the Feds are at conferences and training.

I miss my "federal goatee."




To the OP, the reason mustaches are accepted is tradition, probably going back to military grooming standards since law enforcement is paramilitary in structure.

[MikeG]

I don't think it's as true now, but it used to be you could spot a cop by the mustache. They ALL had them and they were all the same. It was before goatees were popular. I think we call those pornstaches now.

The reason I heard for allowing mustaches was that it gave more command presence especially for younger cops. Not a LEO though.

[mcsap]

A beard will not allow a good seal if you ever have to wear a gas mask.

[marinepilot]

To those who say that it's because the military only allows mustaches, what about the Navy up until about 25 years ago? They used to allow their Chief Petty Officers to wear beards also, but changed it due to the gas mask issue.

There is a department in the county next to mine that allows their officers to have short beards. The one guy I know there wears one most of the time. When he is clean shaven, he's really WEIRD lookin'!! So, thankfully they let him grow the facial hair!

[Kimble]

To those who say that it's because the military only allows mustaches, what about the Navy up until about 25 years ago?

A marine, of all people, should know the Navy does some goofy, @$$-backwards stuff! ;)

[marinepilot]

A Marine, of all people, should know the Navy does some goofy, @$$-backwards stuff! ;)

Fixed that for ya!!

[retdetsgt]

To those who say that it's because the military only allows mustaches, what about the Navy up until about 25 years ago? They used to allow their Chief Petty Officers to wear beards also, but changed it due to the gas mask issue.

During the early 70's, all sailors were allowed beards for a short time.

But police and military grooming rules were in effect a long time before Zumwalt decided to let sailors do that. Military grooming standards went into effect during WWI because of the gas mask issue and short hair because of sanitation and head wounds. For mostly psychological and sociological reasons, police departments adopted the same standards at about or shortly after that time. It's just been tradition since then.

My Dad, who was born in 1904 told me once that when he was a kid, men only shaved once a week. The exception were bankers and such because shaving with straight razors was such a pain, literally. Gillette revolutionized shaving with the safety razor and made it popular by furnishing them to soldiers during WWI.

I got to listen to a very interesting lecture in a sociology class once on that subject and how WWI changed (or actually created) grooming standards for men.

[MikeG]

I got to listen to a very interesting lecture in a sociology class once on that subject and how WWI changed (or actually created) grooming standards for men.

So what you're saying is Gen. "Black Jack" Pershing was the first Metrosexual? Makes you wonder what he meant when he said "The deadliest weapon in the world is a Marine and his rifle!"
175px-CadetJPershing.jpg

[greg72982]

If cops could have goatees, then we wouldn't be able to tell who the Feds are at conferences and training.



-Citicop.

I always thought you just look for the guy in a suit with sunglasses.

[Kimble]

I always thought you just look for the guy in a suit with sunglasses.

If that's what you're looking for all you're going to find are Secret Service agents (FBI wear the suits too, just not the sunglasses and ear piece). Most feds fill their closets with polo shirts and 511 pants, or t-shirts and jeans in some offices. The goatee is the easiest way to spot them.

[retdetsgt]

If that's what you're looking for all you're going to find are Secret Service agents (FBI wear the suits too, just not the sunglasses and ear piece).

I don't know about now, but USSS agents used to even wear the same color suits when they were on a protection detail. I worked with them when Mondale was in town once and made a crack to a couple if J. C. Penney's had a sale on gray pinstriped suits. They didn't think it was nearly as funny as I did.