More than a dozen male members of the Haddonfield Police Department participated in “No Shave November,” a month-long commitment to growing facial hair in an effort to increase awareness and stimulate conversation about various forms of cancer.
For 30 days, participants grew as much hair as they could, then donated their usual monthly hair maintenance costs to cancer research and prevention.
“I’m real happy to participate in such a worthwhile charity and the guys really came through,’ said Haddonfield Police Chief Jason Cutler. “They really love it because they get to wear their beards, which normally they don’t get to do.”
The Sun caught up with two members of the force — Nick Placentra and James Ervin — who were among those extending hair growth through this month, dubbing it “Double Down December.”
“The reason I’m doing it is to advocate for men’s health,” noted Placentra. “On the website, Movember, that’s where I did my donation. They state there that young men are dying at an increasing rate and they’re trying to increase awareness.
“It started with just 30 mustaches, but has been extended to something like five million. I don’t have any personal relationship with it, but I think it’s a good cause.”
“I feel the same way as (my colleague),” Ervin added. “Number one, the fundraising it provides is astronomical. I think it raised a few million dollars. But personally, I know several of my family members had prostate cancer, and so there’s this need to get tested and bringing awareness to that is important.”
Haddonfield officers are not alone in the new endeavor. Their brethren in Garden State municipalities such as Edison, Roselle Park and Clinton Township have also decided to holster their razors one more time this year.
“It’s new to us as well,” Ervin explained. “What our chief proposed was basically to take the donations for November, double it for December, and he’d let us guys keep growing our beards and mustaches.
“We have about 10 others who are doing it so it kicks in a few extra dollars for the cause.”
Placentra confirmed that participating officers are going all the way to New Year’s Eve with their scruff, with Ervin adding that the extra growth was sure to help keep the impending winter chill off their faces.
“It’s a break for us, because we have to be clean-cut for the entire year,” Placentra admitted. “It’s a fun thing and the majority of the officers enjoy it.”
On the day of the Sun interview, Chief Cutler appeared suspiciously and freshly shaven — with good reason and an airtight alibi.
“I did (participate in November) and I really liked my goatee,” he said. “But I shaved it off, actually, for the commissioners’ meeting because I knew we were swearing in my new boss, the new commissioner, so I didn’t want to have pictures of me with it. So I shaved it, but normally I participate. And I donated. And I’m going to donate again even if I don’t have the beard this month.”
