New York, NY – An Orthodox Jew who was weeks away from becoming a New York City police officer said he has been kicked out of the police academy for refusing to trim his beard.
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Former recruit Fishel Litzman of Monsey was fired Friday after multiple confrontations with the department over the length of his whiskers, he told the Daily News (http://nydn.us/LDIivf).
Litzman is Hasidic and believes that cutting his beard is forbidden by God.
NYPD rules usually require officers to be clean-shaven. The department makes exceptions for beards kept for religious purposes, but even then only allows 1 millimeter worth of growth.
“I don’t understand what the problem would be,” Litzman said.
NYPD spokesman Paul Browne said the department’s rules are reasonable and Litzman was aware of them when he signed up.
Litzman was first cited in January for his unkempt beard. He was a month away from receiving his shield when he was fired.
“I always wanted to be a police officer,” said Litzman, a 38-year-old father of five who speaks Hebrew and Yiddish and was once a paramedic.
His attorney, Nathan Lewin, said the police department knew when Litzman applied that he would not trim his beard.
And now, Lewin said, it’s a case of religious discrimination.
“We’re going to be deliberating and considering what the steps are that we’re going to take,” Lewin told The Associated Press on Saturday night.
The department hired its first Hasidic officer in 2006 and the force now has at least two dozen Orthodox Jewish officers.
Like observant Muslim and Sikh officers, Hasidic officers are allowed to keep their beards for religious reasons but must keep them neat and trimmed.
Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer issued a statement Saturday saying he was “deeply troubled” by the firing.
“While the NYPD can exercise control over the personal appearance of its force in order to ensure that all officers are capable of performing their duties, they are also required to make a reasonable accommodation for religious beliefs,” Stringer said.
He urged the police commissioner to reconsider the case.
It’s about time that the city with such a large Frum population get’s recognized by the Police dept.
Just whomever is going to be arranging the upcoming court case should be careful not to allow politicians that ARE running for higher office to get involved to further their political goals.
There are Gas masks on the market and all other face masks that might be needed for police work that fit over beards especially a small one like he has.
Fishel is a great guy and and an excellent Medic.. CH Hatzolah should be proud of him!!
A Guute Voch! Something is missing from this report. The NYPD rules aside (and they’re certainly entitled to them), if this was an obvious issue that was known to both the officer and the department from the start, why did it erupt and culminate in his being fired so late in the game?
Why can’t he roll it up & use a rubber band to secure it? My husband & sons have long, thick beards & they do that so they look appropriate for the business world.
I don’t see the discrimination here. This isn’t a new policy, and he’s known of it for at least a while. They’re willing to compromise somewhat over beard length, but if he wasn’t going to compromise at all, he shouldn’t have gone to the police academy in the first place.
Ok, I saw a picture of him. It’s not long enough to roll but it’s not smooth and trimmed either. Seriously, if it means so much to him I’d speak to some hair stylist & see what products could be used to “tame” the “escapees” (pun intended.)
I know people that are alive today because of him. The most experienced Paramedic iv ever met! Fishel we are all supporting you!
What a Kiddush Hashem let the whole world know that there are people out there who are true to their beliefs just like you
He is a genuine guy and a person who has helped and saved many lives in Hatzoloh of Monsey and Crown Heights. The NYPD can use people like you, who are true to their beliefs and will stand up for whats right.
I am sure, he will find a good job elsewhere. He should get an official apology from the NYPD and find a better job.
Hashem will help him.
Y’know, the Sikhs roll up their so their taxi riders don’t become offended. What’s the big deal?
B”H
This is one way to make progress.
There was a time when no jew were allowed in certain industries certain business certain professions etc
By testing the system he is a pioneer.
A few years ago no beards for bus drivers no shomer shabbos whatevers.
the nypd needs more decent cops
The entire city loses if litzman loses.
There is no reason why this man can’t trim his beard. The NYPD is being very reasonable in allowing him to have any beard at all!
The NYPD “allows” a beard of 1 mm that’s tiny! In the USA every nationality should be able to get a job. There is no reason why someone can’t have a beard in the NYPD. In Israel there’s no issue, but in the land of the free there is?
Iv spoken to many cops and they said this whole beard thing is very silly there are cops in the NYPD that have longer beards then him. Someone need to fight this law this just like the yarmulka was fought and won in NYPD.
And BTW what about those woman officers who have there hair in a ponytail thats not a safety hazard? Its time for them to wake up and except the fact that they will have bearded POs just like the sheikhs can wear their turban’s in the NYPD.
For as long as iv known this man, I can tell you that this man is a very special Yid. This article does not come at any shock, both that Fishel is ready to join a line of work that would put his life at risk on a day to day basis, nor that even such a dream would never make him consider touching his beard. You always were, and clearly always will be a real inspiration.
Something’s fishy in this story. 38 years old and going to the Police Academy – and with a fuzzy little beard (photo in other sites) at that age for a chosid! I suspect he just couldn’t make the grade and had to come up with a “prejudice” reason.
To #18 you write “There is no reason why this man can’t trim his beard.” Many poskim would give you plenty of reasons and obviously he holds like the poskim who say it’s ossur.
There are very good reasons not to allow beards of any length (as well as long hair). For one reason, beards (or hair) can be grabbed onto by a suspect if there is ever any close confrontation with the bearded officer. that can make the difference between life and death for an officer. Just imagine if the suspect grabs the officer’s beard, controlling his head and face movement, and with another hand (or another suspect) grabs the officer’s weapon.
Nisht azoy pushet, my friends. Not everything is discriminatory. Safety first, and in this case you can argue that shaving the beard is a matter of pikuach nefesh. IMO, in light of what I just pointed out, Fishel the recruit is very silly to want to keep his beard.
Ah, the rule exists before he joined, so HE should know better and be prepared to trim. Men with untrimmed beards are unsightly and sloppy.
I thought there was a cutoff of 34 to join nypd
“Facial hair makes gas masks and other protective facial gear difficult almost impossible fit and seal, and a source told the News that the NYPD’s no beard policy is based on that.”
I know Fishel Litzman .. when they accepted him into the academy He quit his 6 year paramedic job at Maimonides ..
Scoredahead of almost 98% of his classmates at the academy .. this is why Nat Lewin accepted the case immediately …
This is going to be big …
Fishel saved my life when I almost died from fever in camp, he is one of the most devoted and conscious guys I know