No, I wouldn’t ban beards in policing — but I wouldn’t wear one either

As long as I have been in law enforcement — and active as a trainer and writer for police officers in retirement — this question has resurfaced time and time again:

“Should law enforcement officers be allowed to have beards?”

I will answer this question in this manner:

1. A ban can be made with justifiable concerns.
2. Beards can be allowed, and these concerns addressed by taking certain precautions.

The No. 1 concern with beards is valid

I shall address the issue of “a beard does not look professional” by saying these two words: Abe Lincoln. This view will always vary, according to the eye of the beholder.

The actual number one objective argument against beards is that some believe you can’t seal a protective face mask over a bearded face. There are those who argue this point is invalid because it has been shown in fit tests that you can get a seal over a beard. (This is true except in the case of many tight-fitting respirator masks, for which obtaining a tight seal will be problematic over a beard.)

But as someone who has conducted fit tests and used protective masks in multiple riots, maintaining a seal on a mask while making arrests — and while doing the dynamic dance with a violent crowd in a cloud of chemical munitions — is much more challenging than maintaining a seal during a seated, low-stress fit test.

I would have loved to have worn a beard — and could have — but I never did, because it is hard enough to get a seal quickly with a real-world crowd bearing down on you without a beard. I concluded it would be nearly impossible for me to maintain that seal throughout a riot with a beard. I chose to remain clean-shaven, except for my mustache, which never created a problem.

Beards were allowed at my agency, and when given the personal choice, I chose not to wear a beard. Even with that said, there were two times when the seal on my mask was broken. In each case, it occurred during struggles with arrested persons. In the scuffles, the seal on my mask was broken, and I found myself sucking a combination of CS and CN.

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What if beards are approved?

Because beards were allowed at my agency and many of the agencies I trained, I chose to prepare officers for the time when — in the real world — their seal broke, which will happen to some, as stated, with or without the beard. I taught my officers:

1. To consider losing the beard.
2. If that was not acceptable, consider shaping the beard so that there is no hair obstructing the skin on the face where the seal is made.
3. Practice and prepare for the compromised seal response, whether you have a beard or not.

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The compromised seal response

You will know instantly when your seal is broken. When you are sucking in CS, CN or OC while you have your mask on, your seal has been broken. You will taste it — no doubt about it.

There are different configurations of masks, but here is a five-step approach to clearing a compromised mask:

1. Stay calm. Remember that it will not kill you.
2. Give a signal to your partners indicating you are adjusting your mask. (Generally, that is just a tap to your mask.)
3. Step out of line calmly and drop to a knee as trained in the position you should have trained. Remove your helmet and set it down on the ground next to you while avoiding putting it on the shield or the shell. Place it on the ground like it is sitting on your head. This avoids damaging the helmet and shield while keeping it from rolling out of place.
4. Cover the intake on the filter(s) tightly and blow long and hard — all your air out. This will “burp the mask” and clear all contaminated air from the mask.
5. Hold your breath throughout the process as you re-tighten the straps in the same manner you would as if you had just put the mask on. Make certain you pull the left and right corresponding straps equally at the same time. Depending on your mask, you may have to pull at least two straps and possibly as many as five.
6. Breathe — and if your mask is now cleared, put your helmet on, secure it and get back in line. If it is still compromised, go back to step four and repeat.

Conclusion

Since I had to mask up many times as a trainer — and for actual street experiences — I chose to not wear a beard. Since my department allowed beards, and members of my team wore beards, I prepared them in training for the difficulties they faced when using a mask over a beard. My beard-wearing tactical officers were never taken out of a tactical situation — in a training scenario or in the real world — because of their beards.

So, if I was asked, “Would I wear a beard?” My answer would be, “No.”

If I was asked, “Would I ban beards?” My answer would also be, “No.”

You see, if you prepare through training to effectively overcome problems, any problem presented that you have prepared for will become, “No problem.”

Join Gordon Graham as he discusses the significance of professional attire in law enforcement and its impact on public perception and officer safety. This video offers practical advice on maintaining a neat and appropriate appearance, adhering to departmental standards and the implications of an officer’s attire in different policing contexts.