The Garda Representative Association has confirmed that gardaí in Kerry were warned not to sport long and unkempt beards that would make them look like Conor McGregor or ZZ Top.
Today's Irish Daily Star and Irish Mirror report that an email was sent to officers in the county warning that they should not present for duty unshaven or with untrimmed beards.
The email sent to officers in Kerry said gardaí should either be clean shaven or present with an established beard.
This means that gardaí can only grow their beards during annual leave or on rest days to ensure their appearance doesn't look unprofessional while on duty during the initial growth, according to the force's new uniform and dress code policy issued by the Garda Commissioner in July.
The email says members have been “taking the interpretation of the beard policy to extend to being unshaven and sporting beards that are somewhat unkempt, overly long and not neatly trimmed as required.”
The email to Kerry gardaí goes on to say, “There is no Conor McGregor, ZZ Top or Grizzly Adams lookalike competition on,” and officers have been reminded about the conditions concerning beards set out in the uniform and dress code policy.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Conor_McGregor_in_2015.jpg
