SAN ANTONIO — The Bexar County Sheriff’s Office announced Thursday that all uniformed sworn personnel are allowed to wear beards year-round.
Sheriff Javier Salazar said he was making the change effective with the start of the new year. It is the first time Sheriff's Office personnel have been allowed to keep a permanent beard.
Deputies who choose to wear a beard must maintain a neat and professional appearance, and the beard can't interfere with protective gear, such as a gas mask or a self-containing breathing apparatus.
This change comes after Sheriff Salazar relaxed the BCSO Tattoo Policy to allow deputies the ability to display tattoos.
“Times and attitudes have evolved," Salazar said. "The true measure of a professional is not what they have on their face or arms, but how well they serve their community.”
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