Police Scotland have had to put off their ‘no beards’ policy after being inundated with complaints. The force wants front line officers and staff to shave off beards so they can wear specially-fitted FFP3 face masks.
Assistant Chief Constable Alan Spiers said the safety of officers was a priority and that FFP3 masks – which are face-fitted and require users to be clean shaven – offered the most appropriate and effective respiratory protection.
The assistant chief constable said he understood the frustrations among those affected on the front line but the policy was absolutely necessary to protect officers and staff from serious health risks. He added the risk from coronavirus had lowered but there were wider risks such as fires, road accidents and chemical incidents which require protective equipment to be worn.
Four officers are taking legal action after being ordered last year to report for duty clean shaven on the grounds of discrimination and disability as they were deemed non-deployable on the grounds of not shaving.
Ash Toner-Maxwell, general secretary for The Scottish LGBTI Police Association, said the proposed policy has caused members significant concern: “We are concerned officers and staff may feel pressured into disclosing a protected characteristic by keeping their facial hair and electing to wear the proposed ‘alternative’ face mask. This is of particular concern when considering our transgender colleagues. The policy may impact a trans man’s mental health whose facial hair is a significant part of their transition.”
Seriously, what a waste of resources! We needlessly have to hear from someone with an official title speaking on behalf of a group which probably has fewer members than the Liberal Democrats have MPs. Yet we must hear all about their plight. There are also exemptions on religious grounds; so, do officers need to wear the mask or not? It either fits with a beard or it doesn’t, regardless of the wearer’s religious beliefs. Answer that, ACC Spiers.
Covid is over. I’m pretty sure that the police, who already wear a lot of kit, don’t need burdened with a mask that looks like it belongs on a building site. In the highly unlikely event officers find Saddam Hussein’s chemical weapon stash in Bathgate or Glenrothes I’m sure we can worry about it then. Homeland activists who attend our Erskine demos inform us that the police there wear black snoods, perhaps to hide their laughter at our mockery of the counter-demonstrators.
Here would be Homeland’s solution: wear whatever mask you like, officer. Case closed.
