EDISON — Police officers in Edison stepped up to the plate, got hairy and raised more than $10,000 for cancer research and children’s healthcare as part of the “No-Shave November” campaign.
“On-duty officers sporting facial hair sparked many conversations with curious residents,” Police Chief Thomas Bryan said. “This gave them a chance to discuss cancer-related health issues and encourage people to go for early-detection screenings.”
More than 50 Edison officers pledged $50 or more to the “No-Shave November” campaign and many grew facial hair to raise public awareness about cancer-related health issues.
No-Shave November is a web-based, non-profit organization devoted to growing cancer awareness and raising funds to support cancer prevention, research and education.
Money raised in Edison for “No-Shave November” will go to the American Cancer Society, Prevent Cancer Foundation, Fight Colorectal Cancer and St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital.
Ordinarily, Edison’s strict grooming standards require police officers to be clean shaven except for mustaches. Mayor Thomas Lankey, also the public safety director, suspended those standards during the campaign.
With the end of the campaign, comes the end of the facial hair. To help Edison police officers comply with police standards, barbers Nigel Armstrong and Ryan Belford from World of Beards in Metuchen donated shaves.
The department’s fundraising effort is at: www.no-shave.org/member/edisonpba75.
Throughout the year, the police administration, Police Benevolent Association Local 75 and the Superior Officers Association join forces for a variety of charitable causes including raising money for Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Toys For Tots in December and relief efforts for hurricane victims in other states.