The policy, introduced Wednesday, specifies that Sikhs’ head coverings must be navy blue, their hair must be “neatly” placed inside their turbans, and their facial hair may not be longer than half an inch.
“If I’ve got my numbers right, we have about 160 people from the Sikh community, and hopefully with this change of policy, we’ll be able to get more people to apply,” Police Commissioner James O’Neill said during a news conference at Madison Square Garden.
Previously, Sikh officers were authorized to wear only patkas under police caps — smaller versions of the adult turbans, often used by young Sikhs.
With the new guidelines, the NYPD joins police departments such as those in Riverside, California, and Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Army, which also allow officers to wear turbans and facial hair for medical or religious reasons.
O’Neill said this was a “major change” and would allow the department to become as “diverse as possible.”
“We’re making this change to make sure that we allow everybody in New York City that wants to apply and have the opportunity to work in the greatest police department in the nation, to make sure to give them that opportunity,” he said.