NEW ULM — City police officers are cleared to wear beards.

In a periodic update of policies, the Police Department brought the policy regarding personal appearance standards for officers to the City Council on Tuesday. Previously, the policy prohibited officers from growing beards or goatees.

Police Chief David Borchert said the reason beards were prohibited was related to equipment use. If an officer needed to put on a gas mask, or more recently a N-95 mask for COVID-19, a beard could affect the seal.

During the pandemic and the protests during 2020, police agencies found beards do not interfere with mask use. As a result, police departments have relaxed their policies to allow beards. Borchert said New Ulm was one of the last holdouts on beards.

Borchert said the department maintains a high standard for officer appearance, but he did not feel beards would be compromising the standard.

Mask fit testing is an annual requirement. If facial hair does prevent a proper seal, officers can be ordered to remove the beard immediately.

Councilor Larry Mask asked if the previous appearance standard ever prevented law enforcement from hiring an individual.

Borchert could not confirm if this had ever happened. He assumed once the policy was in place, there would be an increase in beards among officers at least during the first few months.