Should Police Officers Be Allowed To Wear Beards?

Well, according to the Houston Chronicle, four Houston police officers were placed on plain-clothes duty for wearing facial hair. These officers have filed a federal civil rights lawsuit claiming discrimination for a skin condition that primarily affects black men.

Sgts. Shelby Stewart and Kenneth Perkins said they wear goatees because they suffer from pseudofolliculitis barbae, a dermatological condition common among men of African descent. Shaving can cause severe irritation, rashes and ingrown hairs. Stewart and Perkins, who are not allowed to work in uniform and have been reassigned, estimated that more than 100 HPD officers have the condition.

The lawsuit, which was also filed Tuesday by officers Adrian White and Raul Collins, claims the Houston Police Department is enforcing only the part of its appearance and grooming standards that disproportionately afflicts black officers. The City of Houston also is named as a defendant.

HPD lawyer Craig Ferrell said the department adopted the standards because officers with facial hair cannot properly seal gas masks in the event of bioterrorism attacks. He said the policy was not discriminatory, but will be changed.

What do you think? Should these officers be allowed to wear facial hair?