Police Scotland officers ordered to shave off beards

Police Scotland is readying to present a caller clean-shaven argumentation for frontline officers, according to correspondence seen by the BBC.

It means hundreds of officers volition person to shave disconnected their beards and moustaches by the extremity of the month.

Four are understood to beryllium taking ineligible enactment successful narration to the policy.

Police Scotland said it was indispensable truthful officers and unit could deterioration protective FFP3 masks which necessitate users to beryllium clean-shaven.

The policy, which besides covers civilian unit successful frontline roles, has been approved by the main constable and is owed to beryllium introduced connected 29 May.

During the Covid pandemic constabulary officers were fitted with specializer masks designed to support them from the virus.

A connection posted connected Police Scotland's interior website from Assistant Chief Constable Alan Speirs said lessons learned from the pandemic identified that FFP3 masks offered the astir due and effectual respiratory extortion to officers and staff.

He said that portion the hazard from coronavirus had lowered, wider risks remained to officers and unit attending calls specified arsenic fires, roadworthy accidents and chemic incidents which required PPE (personal protective equipment) to beryllium worn.

Police Scotland's caller respiratory protective instrumentality (RPE) argumentation volition mean that wherever it tin beryllium "reasonably foreseen" that immoderate serviceman oregon subordinate of unit volition usage an FFP3 disguise they should beryllium clean-shaven.

This includes each section policing frontline officers, roads policing, firearms and nationalist bid officers.

ACC Speirs said successful the message: "The information of our radical remains a precedence and it is wide that a azygous overarching argumentation connected the usage of protective masks successful required."

There volition beryllium exemptions for religious, cultural, disablement oregon aesculapian reasons. In these circumstances, the unit is seeking to present alternate benignant of respiratory protection.

Police Scotland has astir 17,000 officers and 6,000 staff.

It is the UK's 2nd biggest unit down the Metropolitan police.

The Met's argumentation says "beards and moustaches are allowed, but they mustn't look unkempt. Keep them trimmed and smart".

The Scottish Police Federation, which represents constabulary officers, said it had been inundated with complaints astir the policy.

SPF wide caput David Kennedy said: "The Health and Safety Executive guidance is that an RPE argumentation should lone beryllium utilised arsenic a past edifice and determination person been applicable questions raised arsenic to wherefore this argumentation is present being proposed.

"There are superior concerns successful narration to the projected implementation of the argumentation and its proportionality to risk."

Mr Kennedy said the SPF was supporting respective members who had lodged employment tribunal cases and it had sought ineligible sentiment relating to wellness and safety, favoritism and quality rights.

In a statement, a Police Scotland spokeswoman said the information of officers and unit was a precedence and the argumentation was being implemented to support those connected the frontline.

She said: "We are consulting with unit associations and our diverseness associations arsenic we stitchery views from officers and unit up of implementing this captious argumentation to support our radical safe.

"Those consultations are ongoing."