The Moorestown Police Department is participating in “No Shave November.”
Something hairy is going on in Moorestown this November. In recent weeks, residents may have noticed their once clean-shaven officers have been sporting facial hair as the Moorestown Police Department participates in “No Shave November.”
Fraternal Order of Police Lodge №109 secretary Don Brauckmann, a detective in Moorestown’s Criminal Investigations Bureau, said officers will donate the money they would have spent in one month on shaving and grooming, and for every dollar raised, the FOP will match the donations up to $500. Brauckmann said the FOP will meet and decide on a local charity to donate the funds to later in the month.
Brauckmann said Moorestown’s officers were inspired to participate in the campaign by other local departments. He said the neighboring towns of Cinnaminson, Evesham, Cherry Hill and Delran all participate, so Moorestown officers wanted to join in as well.
Last year, some of the department decided to participate in an unofficial way, Brauckmann said. A handful of officers grew mustaches that complied with the department’s grooming standards. However, this year, the union decided to make things more official and get the entire department involved.
During November, officers are allowed to grow a mustache and beard. While normally officers’ facial hair is restricted to a mustache that goes no further than their lips, for one month, Moorestown’s finest can sport neatly groomed beards — as long as the hair is neatly groomed and does not exceed half an inch.
Brauckmann said Moorestown’s force is currently 100 percent male, and by his estimate, around 75 percent of the force is participating. Each participating officer was encouraged to donate at least $25, which equates to around what they’d spend in one month on razors and shaving cream, he said.
The goal is to spark conversations. Brauckmann said if residents ask about their beards, officers were given language explaining they are trying to raise awareness about men’s health issues.
“If you see a police officer with facial hair, you might say, ‘What’s with the beard?’” Brauckmann said.
Brauckmann said according to research published by the national No Shave November campaign, when caught in the early stages, the five-year survival rate for prostate cancer is 100 percent, and the five-year survival rate of testicular cancer is 99 percent. He said the FOP is asking officers to encourage residents to get regular screenings if they engage them in conversations about their facial hair. He said they’re encouraging officers to be proactive as well. If residents take notice of their facial hair and don’t say anything, officers are encouraged to go up to them on Main Street or wherever they’re spotted and explain the campaign, Brauckmann said.
The FOP also hopes the campaign will encourage their own officers to get a screening and has even initiated conversations about screening already, Brauckmann said. While the campaign is raising awareness about serious issues, the facial makeovers have also been good for department morale, he said.
“It’s certainly a fun thing,” Brauckmann said. “It’s certainly invoking conversations among our guys.”
Brauckmann said they’ll be documenting officers’ progress by taking plenty of photos throughout the month. For Brauckmann, who has been shaving since his youth in the Marines, this marks the first substantial period of time he’s had to grow his beard out, and he said he’s quite excited by the prospect.
Any residents or businesses who would like to donate toward the cause can mail donations to: Moorestown FOP Lodge №109, PO Box 645, Moorestown, 08057.
