What started as a fun way for law enforcement officers to raise money and awareness for the fight against cancer last November grew into a multi-moth fundraising campaign, culminating in a $10,923 check presentation to the American Cancer Society on Monday afternoon.
No-Shave November is a popular cancer awareness campaign in which participants grow out their facial hair — a feature often lost by many cancer patients — while educating the public about preventative care and making donations to cancer-fighting organizations.
Most law enforcement agencies prohibit their officer from growing any facial hair other than mustaches. But in November of 2017, Texas A&M University Police Chief Mike Reagan, Brazos County Sheriff Chris Kirk and College Station Police Chief Scott McCollum decided to make their departments a part of No-Shave November by temporarily suspending dress code policies regulating facial hair.
In exchange for donations of $30 and $50, officers were allowed to grow beards and goatees, respectively. Female officers participated by making $30 dollar donations and wearing colored nail polish. At the end of November, the campaign was extended until Jan. 2, 2018 to continue the departments’ fundraising efforts.
In addition to giving their razors a break, UPD Lt. Bobby Richardson said the program gave officers a chance to spread awareness throughout the community while on duty.
“It was a lot of fun, and at the same time when you contact people out in the public and they would comment on the beards, we could explain to them about cancer awareness and what we were doing while we were raising the money,” Richardson said.