Crime & Safety

November is Mustache Month For Walnut Creek Police

Officers join the "Movember" campaign to raise awareness and money for prostate cancer

If it seems to you that every police officer in Walnut Creek has a mustache these days, you'd be half right.

In fact, almost three dozen employees of the Walnut Creek Police Department are participating in a mustache growing contest this month to help raise awareness and money for prostate cancer research and treatment.

Of those, 30 are sworn police officers  -- that's about half the male officers in the city.

"We'd thought it'd be a great way to raise awareness for prostate cancer and some fun at the same time," said Officer Anthony Morasco, who organized the contest.

The contest began Nov. 1 and ends Nov. 30. It's part of the "Movember" campaign to have men grow mustaches to publicize prostate cancer research.

Walnut Creek police have posted close-up photos of the mustaches at the halfway point on the department's Facebook page.

On Dec. 1, they plan to ask the public to vote on the best and worst facial hair. The voting will last about a week.

During their contest, they'll ask people to make donations to the Prostate Cancer Foundation at this website.

Morasco, who's worked at the Walnut Creek department for two and a half years, saw the Movember campaign last year and decided to do it this time. However, he didn't want to go it alone.

"I didn't want to be the only one who was looking goofy," he said.

He and Lt. Jay Hill got permission for the contest from Police Chief Tom Chaplain, who is participating in the mustache growing.

Hill said he was interested because he oversees the department's social media. He is trying to pump up their Facebook and Twitter presence and thought this was a perfect way to do it.

"It's a good way to engage the community," said Hill.

Morasco started the contest, hoping to get a dozen sign-ups. Instead, he got 33 -- the 30 officers and three of the department's professional staff.

The mustaches have been the talk of the department this month.

"There's been a lot of teasing. It's been fun," said Morasco.

Only two officers had mustaches at the beginning of November. They shaved them off to participate in the contest.

A half-dozen or so are thinking about keeping the mustaches, but their spouses may put an end to that.

"I think the wives have been the big losers in all this," joked Hill.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com.