# Why do so many cops have moustaches? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 21, 2001, 8:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-cops-have-moustaches/94568 "2001-11-21T08:43:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2001, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-cops-have-moustaches/94568/21 "2001-11-22T01:17:35Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by mmmiiikkkeee \* > \*\*I agree with all the regulations on facial hair. I also see the macho “I wanna look manly” side of it too. Many rent-a-cop type security guards wear mustaches; most of the ones I’ve seen tend to be shorter middle-aged guys who are starting to get fat; I dunno, maybe trying to look more authoritative to compensate for their declining physical abilities. I notice most (white) guys with moustaches around here tend to be older (\>30) and chubby. > To see an example of the diff facial hair makes on a guy looking more “in charge”, look at the Star Trek tng series and that dude ?Riker?. With a goatee he looks the part; clean shaven he looks like a goofy overgrown child (a little baby-faced). Or check out Chuck Norris in some of his first movies. Then again, some guys just like moustaches; my brother has had one since he was about 15 - I’ve never seen him without it since (he’s over 30 now). I guess perhaps cops don’t necessarily want to be seen as normal nice guys next door (especially when dealing with a crook); they might want to distinguish themselves from the norm a bit, and look authoritative. Moustaches help. \*\* Do you think this is why **Al Gore** …HEY! AL GORE LOOKS LIKE RIKER!! He’s trying for that all-important Trekkie vote! ---
**Author:** ![fireman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/71c47a/32.png) [@fireman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fireman)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2001, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-cops-have-moustaches/94568/22 "2001-11-22T02:17:02Z")
Moustache rides, $1.00 females only ---
**Author:** ![OxyMoron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9a140/32.png) [@OxyMoron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OxyMoron)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2001, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-cops-have-moustaches/94568/23 "2001-11-23T00:43:34Z")
Why? To hide the stretch marks…😃 (ok, from a ca. 1978 joke about gay men. Come to think of it, I don’t know a gay man under 45 who wears one; I’m always tempted to remind those who do that the Carter administration is over :). Mustaches IMHO almost always look awful - at best they just hide part of your face. Sometimes, of course, that’s a good thing.) ---
**Author:** ![TwistofFate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@TwistofFate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TwistofFate)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2001, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-cops-have-moustaches/94568/24 "2001-11-23T13:55:32Z")
Dude, those were the Village people, not police, fire, military officers 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2001, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-cops-have-moustaches/94568/25 "2001-11-24T03:58:36Z")
I think a point is being missed. I have worked for several hotels that have EXACTLY the same standards and NO ONE wore a moustache. A friend of mine works for an accounting frim where they only allow moustaches. Still everyone there is clean shaved. At the hotel we all wore the same uniform. So why the need for individuality in the Police, Firefighters etc. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-cops-have-moustaches/94568.md?page=1)