“I am deeply troubled by reports this morning that a Hasidic police cadet was fired for refusing to trim his beard. While the NYPD can exercise control over the personal appearance of its force in order to ensure that all officers are capable of performing their duties, they are also required to make a reasonable accommodation for religious beliefs.”

“The NYPD has done a commendable job in recent years of building a police force that tries to reflect the populations that they serve. Fishel Litzman should be no exception. I urge the police commissioner to reconsider this case as well as the NYPD’s rules about religious accommodation more broadly and, in so doing, to make a clear statement in support of religious expression for all.”

Some Background:

Last year, the Council passed a bill and the Mayor signed it into law, that would toughen the burden on City agencies for showing “undue hardship” to accommodate an individual’s religious belief. It defined undue hardship as an “accommodation requiring significant expense or difficulty (including a significant interference with the safe or efficient operation of the workplace or a violation of a bonafide seniority system).”

Other large police departments have modified rules on beard and head coverings in recent years. In fact, just last month, the DC Police changed their rules, allowing turbans to match police uniforms and requiring that beards be neatly tied back.

(YWN Desk – NYC)