Middletown Police Lift Facial Hair Ban for ‘Movember'

Motorists pulled over in a southern Rhode Island town next month might feel like they've been transported back to the 1970s.

The Newport Daily News reports that the Middletown Police Department is lifting its ban on facial hair and will allow officers to grow mustaches in November to raise awareness for men's health issues.

Deputy Police Chief Ferenc Karoly says officers are growing mustaches in support of the Movember Foundation, a California-based nonprofit that dubbed November as "Movember" to highlight the fight against prostate and testicular cancers, and other illnesses.

He says the department's campaign was launched a few weeks ago and has already raised more than $1,700.

Since 2003, the Movember Foundation has raised more than $650 million.