The Tuesday (Oct. 14) Shreveport City Council Public Safety Committee meeting at 1:30 p.m. has an interesting agenda item. Should male Shreveport Police Department (SPD) officers be allowed to sport long ponytails? Actually, the agenda topic reads "SPD Policy on Grooming".
Wow--kudos for Councilman Gary Brooks for putting his on the agenda. Brooks is the committee chair, and he has a very active record of supporting SPD. And by most political standards he is considered a liberal. He was concerned to see a male SPD officer with a long ponytail.
The Bossier Police Department does not allow facial hair or male ponytails. Although not officially confirmed it is believed that the Caddo Parish Sheriff's Office and the Louisiana State Police also have hair restrictions, at least on male ponytails.
Of course, undercover law enforcement officers are not, and should not, be subject to any grooming/personal appearance standards, including SPD officers.
Facial hair and male ponytails are certainly different grooming issues for law enforcement officials. A caveat on facial hair that is worthy of consideration is overly long biker beards, braided beards, beards with decorations and/or dyed beards.
The issue of facial hair has been settled by a federal court opinion that said it was Ok. But the court ruling did NOT prohibit reasonable standards on beards that are enforceable..
Dreadlocks have become very popular in the African American community along with other non-traditional hair styles, which are now becoming the norm. Allowing SPD officers with dreadlocks has most likely fueled beard growth by many SPD officers.
The Louisiana Crown Act, effective Aug. 1, 2022, prohibits race-based hair discrimination in employment and public schools, protecting styles like Afros, dreadlocks. braids, cornrows and twists. How this Act applies to SPD males and ponytails is a question this writer has no opinion.
Having served four years as Captain in the U.S Air Force as a legal officer, I am well familiar with enforceable grooming standards for male and female service members. I learned that lesson quite well on my first day of active duty at Castle Air Force Base when I was ordered to get THREE haircuts to confirm with the rules. Add to that my moustache was chopped to look like Hitler's. It was a life experience.
Male grooming standards are a touchy subject, especially with certain religious groups that encourage longer beards and hair. It can also be tagged as a racial issue, which is an unfortunate reality. Professional appearances of public servants is a proper question for review and hopefully discussions at the Public Safety Committee meeting will be just that.
Let’s don't extend this discussion to the wearing of hats by civilians please.
More to come on this issue.