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Sikh trooper not allowed to grow beard, New York police accused of flouting law
State trooper Charanjot Tiwana, based in Jamestown, New York, requested permission to grow his beard to the length of one-half inch (1.27 centimeters) in March 2022 for his wedding
A New York state trooper, who is a Sikh, was barred by his supervisors from growing facial hair for his wedding, despite a 2019 state law requiring employers to let most workers follow attire or grooming obligations for their religion.
State trooper Charanjot Tiwana, based in Jamestown, New York, requested permission to grow his beard to the length of one-half inch (1.27 centimeters) in March 2022 for his wedding.
Unshorn hair and beards are a sign of religious commitment for practicing Sikh men, a custom that clashes with the state police grooming rules, which require troopers to shave and cut their hair short.
Tiwana’s request was denied on the basis that it posed a safety issue regarding the use of a gas mask, according to his union, the New York State Troopers Police Benevolent Association.
“No one should be compromising their religion to serve their country,” said Gurvinder Singh, a New York police department sergeant and president of the Sikh Officers Association at a related news conference recently. “Hopefully one day you will see whole turban and bearded Sikhs as New York state troopers.”
Wearing a turban is also customary for Sikh men, but Tiwana has not formally asked for permission to don one on duty, in part because his requests to grow a beard were rejected, said the union’s president, Charlie Murphy.
“All New Yorkers, including law enforcement officers, must be free from employer oppression when practicing their religion,” Murphy said.
While the New York state police did confirm that Tiwana put in a religious accommodation request, a spokesperson for the agency declined to comment on its outcome, including when or why it was declined.
“We value diversity, equity and inclusion among our ranks. As with every request for a religious or medical accommodation for any NYSP employee, we engage in the reasonable accommodation process,” said department spokesperson Deanna Cohen.
Tiwana, who has been a state trooper for six years, declined an interview request made through the union, which said it was speaking on his behalf. He didn’t return phone messages.
Many US law enforcement agencies implemented rules in the early 20th Century banning facial hair, in part because of a desire to enforce a military-style look among officers. For almost as long, there has been debate over whether those rules are arbitrary, and have the effect of excluding certain religious and ethnic groups.
In recent years, many police departments have eased various rules or encountered court actions that forced them to make changes.
The New York State Police are currently working on a policy regarding turbans, according to Cohen.
A state law passed in 2019 requiring all New York employers — including state agencies — to accommodate workers with religious requirements for attire or facial hair, as long as those requirements didn’t interfere with crucial job duties. When passed, the law pushed employers to review and update their policies for grooming and dress code.
