The New York City Police Department reinstated a Muslim officer, who was suspended without pay for refusing to save his beard.
Officer Masood Syed was reinstated after he was escorted out of police headquarters last month for not shaving his beard which he said he grew for religious reasons.
After a little more than a week, a judge ruled that the NYPD had to reinstate the officer’s pay and benefits and Syed was allowed back on the force and permitted to keep his one-inch beard, according to NBC News.
Syed, who said he has maintained about half-to-one-inch (13 to 25 mm) beard for most of his 10-year career, has sued the department saying its no-beard policy is unconstitutional.
Following the suit, the NYPD said it will examine its policy banning beards.
