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It’s ‘Movember’ at Clinton PD

Have you ever seen a cop with a beard? Not likely, as police officers typically must adhere to a strict dress code that sets limits on facial hair. This month in Clinton, however, getting a speeding ticket could involve an encounter with a bearded man in uniform. The Clinton Police Department is participating in “Movember,” a movement in which men grow facial hair during November to raise awareness of men’s health issues such as prostate cancer, testicular cancer, and suicide.

“The majority of the department—95 percent—have all pitched in for it,” said Chief of Police Vincent DeMaio.

So how does it work? Each participating cop must raise $20 each week for the right to grow facial hair. At the end of the month, all proceeds go to Families Helping Families (FHF), a grass-roots Clinton organization that helps neighbors in need of assistance with food and fuel costs.

The organization was chosen for reasons beyond the simple expedient that it’s a good cause. FHF helped contribute to last year’s community effort to replace 911 dispatcher David McDonald’s handicapped-accessible van. McDonald, a dispatcher in Clinton for more than 20 years and a quadriplegic after a diving accident in his 20s, would have had to give up his job if he lost his method of transportation. Instead, the community rallied and raised about $30,000 to purchase a new van that would get McDonald back and forth from work.

“We did a lot of fundraising, we had a GoFundMe page—but Families Helping Families helped us out quite a bit,” commented DeMaio. “We’re happy to support them.”

For Movember, DeMaio has set a lofty goal for Clinton’s finest: $3,000. As of this writing, a little more than $2,000 has been raised. The novelty of cops with facial hair combined with raising money for local families soon sparked interest beyond the department itself.

“Once word got out that we were doing it, we had a lot of people in town say they wanted to support officers,” said DeMaio, who helped spread the word through social media.

For the officers themselves, the campaign provides an opportunity to break away—if temporarily—from a strict dress code.

“They’re excited about it,” DeMaio said of his officers. “It’s not normal to see a cop with a full beard or a goatee or something like that. This is a very rigid business we’re in. Our general orders prohibit the growing of any facial hair except for a mustache.”

It’s also an informal contest. Look for the name of the officer who raises the most money during Movember on the Clinton Police Department’s Facebook page at the end of the month.

So far, it looks like the Clinton Police Department is on track for its goal.

“We’ve got nothing but positive feedback from everyone in the community,” said DeMaio. “The guys are happy, the community is happy, and we’re raising money for a good cause.”

To donate, send a check to: Families Helping Families, P.O. Box 166, Clinton, CT 06413 or drop a check off at the Clinton Police Department, 170 East Main Street. In the check’s memo, write “Movember” and the name of the officer you’d like to sponsor. For more information, search for “Clinton CT Police Department” or “Families Helping Families CT” on Facebook.