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Silver Bay Police Officers Can Now Sport (Well-Maintained) Beards

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Police in Silver Bay will now be able to grow out those beards if they wish after an adjustment in policy.

Silver Bay Police Chief Doug Frericks says the change is just a simple adjustment in policy that needed approval by the City Council.

Frericks says it all began when an officer asked about growing a beard. The chief, thinking it was fine, asked city officials to change the policy.

Officers will have to keep their facial hair professional and well-maintained at a length that doesn't affect performance or take away from their professional demeanor.

Frericks says the previous policy that required officers to be clean-shaven predated his time at the department. He says the policy is about 12 years old.

Considering Silver Bay is located on the shores of Lake Superior, between Duluth and Grand Marais, beards may help shield some of winter's blistering cold winds.

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