NYPD now allows officers to wear turbans as religious accommodation

Sikh officers at the New York Police Department (NYPD) can now wear full turbans while on duty.

On Wednesday, NYPD Commissioner James O'Neill announced the new rule — officers can use a navy blue turban with an NYPD badge instead of the traditional cap worn by members of the force as long as they are able to obtain approval for religious accommodation from senior officers.

"We want to make the NYPD as diverse as possible, and I think this is going to go a long way to help us with that," O'Neill announced, adding, "It's a major change in our uniform policy, so we had to go about it carefully. And now I have the opportunity to make the change, and I thought it was about time that we did that."

Adult men practicing the Sikh religion wear turbans as part of their culture and identity. Before the new rule was put in place, Sikh NYPD officers wore a "patka" — a smaller wrap — under the usual NYPD cap.

In a tweet, the Sikh Officers Association conveyed their gratitude for the new rule, stating that "This is a proud moment for Sikh Community."

Additionally, NYPD is now allowing Sikh members of the force to grow their beard up to half an inch long as a religious accommodation. In the past, the limit for beard length was one millimeter.

As shared by O'Neil while speaking at a graduation ceremony for newly inducted officers at Madison Square Garden, the NYPD has about 160 Sikh officers. With the new rules on wearing a turban and beard length, more Sikh men are expected to join the NYPD.

NYPD joins the less than 10 police departments in the United States that have rules for religious exemption such as allowing the use of turban and allowing Sikh officers to grow their beard while on duty. Other bodies with similar rules include those of Washington, D.C., Riverside, California, and the U.S. Army.

Last April, Capt. Simratpal Singh, a decorated Sikh officer serving the United States Army, won the right to sport a beard and turban while in uniform after suing for religious discrimination. He told The New York Times, "Kids like me used to be told you can be anything you want to be, but you can't serve your country in uniform. That is no longer the case."