Somerville Police Sport Fu-Manchus?

The Somerville Police Department has had quite a shake-up lately. For much of the last year, former Police Chief George McClean had been clashing with Mayor Joe Curtatone -- most notably over a report commissioned by the mayor which criticized the department for being disorganized and poorly led. That very public dispute eventually led to the forced resignation of Chief McClean and the Mayor's appointment of a review board to oversee drastic changes in the way department leadership is picked.

Now, Acting Chief Robert Bradley is shaking things up even more. According to the Somerville Journal, Bradley issued a memo last week announcing an end to the department's ban on facial hair. In particular, "goatees and so-called fu-manchu mustaches will be allowed on trial basis."

Lending his support for the move was Captain Michael Devereaux who co-authored the memo with the Chief. Deveraux wrote: "Changes in restrictions such as this allow more freedom to the men and women who do this difficult job of ours."

Bostonist is surprised to learn that, even in this tough city, there is such a strong desire on the part of Somerville's women in blue to sport facial hair.

Contributed by Jesse Kanson-Benanav