NYPD to review beard policy after Muslim officer reinstated
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The New York Police Department says it will examine its policy banning beards after a federal class-action lawsuit was filed last week on behalf a Muslim officer who was suspended for violating the rule.
Officer Masood Syed, who was suspended during Ramadan for refusing to shave his inch-long beard, has been reinstated.
City attorney Michael Fleming had said the limit on facial hair is necessary for gas masks to fit tightly on officers' faces.
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Syed's lawsuit states the rule is unconstitutional and inconsistently enforced. It seeks unspecified financial damages and a court order banning the NYPD from enforcing the rule.
Police legal officials say a review of the rule should take about 120 days. The NYPD will also examine how it handles disciplinary cases and exemptions involving the rule.