This fine banana product, complete with ribs, speaks for itself. And this key chain is a must-have for the Mustached American.

Carry on.  

For many Americans, especially if you are white, it is difficult to understand the significance of Barack Obama becoming the next President of the United States.

Since the election last week, we have seen many of the white television pundits speak to the immense sea change this signifies in American culture. But unless you are a minority who has lived through oppression or discrimination - like blacks in the U.S. who grew up in the Jim Crow South - one cannot truly comprehend the magnitude of the reality that the President-elect is a man of color.

Certainly many of us can only imagine what it was like to be a black student as southern schools went through integration in the 1960s. Think about being one of say 12 black children integrating into a high school of 500, or being called the "N" word as if it didn't matter, having to enter buildings through back doors, or having to use a bathroom or water fountain designated by color.

What is more amazing is that these conditions existed just 40 years ago, and sadly, racism still exists today in some sectors of American society. 

But as Washington Redskins linebacker London Fletcher told Sports Illustrated's Peter King for his "Monday Morning QB" column, "This changes the perception of how African-Americans are looked at by society, and also how African-Americans look at themselves. Did I really think I could be anything I wanted to be as a kid? Was it really possible? No, but for it to actually happen now is a great thing for our country.''

Indeed, Obama's election is a watershed moment in history - like when Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in Major League Baseball, or akin to the pure elation that some East Germans must have felt when the Berlin Wall came tumbling down. 

And as Dr. Aaron Perlut steps aside and I assume the role as chief executive officer here at the American Mustache Institute, the election of Mr. Obama clearly serves as inspiration for the Mustached American people. We see hope that we can once again assume positions of leadership and respect as we attained in the 1970s.

Where once Mustached Americans were trusted White House aides, in the 1980s and 1990s we became relegated to nail technicians. Where once we were represented on television each evening by the most trusted man in the nation - Walter Cronkite - today we are lucky to be a radio meteorologist in Grand Junction, Colorado.

Yes, there are greater days ahead and I wish to lay out my intentions for the American Mustache Institute and the people of Mustached American descent we represent. Under my leadership, AMI will:

1. Lobby President-elect Obama to grow a presidential mustache sometime during his first term to demonstrate solidarity with another disenfranchised group.
2. Continue our work in identifying Mustached Americans who can run for public offices as we work toward the day when we, too, can celebrate one of our own reaching the nation's highest office.
   
3. Continue to lobby Congress to ensure that Burt Reynolds birthday - February 11 - is made into a federal holiday.
4. Push for our annual event - 'Stache Bash - to evolve into the "Million Mustache March."
5. Battle the Beard Congress, who first lobbied and helped institute the Federal Mustache Tax Amendment in 1965 (which ironically was a ride on the National Voting Rights Act).
6. Work with local, state and federal governments to ensure that police recruits continue to be issued mustaches when joining law enforcement organizations.
7. Step up efforts to pressure corporate America to place Mustached Americans in executive roles.
8. Continue pressuring traditional and new media to highlight the challenges faced by Mustached Americans - such as the recent disgusting display by the Sylvania Township (Ohio) suspension of a Mustached American officer.
9. Reach across the aisle to the other facial hair lobbyists to pass tax credits for non-shavers. This has an economic benefit and green impact as it results in lower energy use and a decrease in hair-based landfills.

The election of Obama has the potential to change perceptions across all walks of American life, as there is nothing so great as empowering a group that has felt it has less of a stake in society. As Mustached Americans of all creeds, colors and inseam sizes, we know this feeling. Our dream of the election of a Mustached American president remains alive.

Carry on my friends. Carry on indeed.

People of Mustached American descent love their NFL football. We crave it, along with beer, and anti-Dave Navarro rhetoric.

For your enjoyment and knowledge, a group of fine panelists including........me.....offer analysis on some of this weekend's NFL games.

Check it out on JoeSportsFan.com at this link. 

And as an aside - yet related to the ass-kicking goodness of NFL football - one of our few non-Mustached friends Jean Claude Van Damme has a new film out called "JCVD." Mustached Americans pretty much love anything Van Damme does - from his role in "Breakin" (watch the background carefully) to "Bloodsport." 

Time magazine calls "JCVD" the "best movie Van Damme ever made (granted, not the highest encomium), and a cogent, probing, funny critique on celebrity in its downalator phase." High praise indeed. Read more about it here.

Carry on.

No, we do not refer to the fact that Barack Obama correclty predicted he'd be the next President of these United States. Of course he was right about that - and good for him.

Whether you like his ideals or not, it's a watershed moment for Americans and we should all be proud at how far we have come considering black Americans did not have the rights to simply vote just 44 years ago. 

As the media build-up of the campaign was ongoing, one of the things we got to see about Obama was that he plays baskeball. The guy enjoys a good run. And in a "60 Minutes" interview he presciently noted that you can tell a lot about someone by how they play baskeball. 

Indeed you can, and if you dig hoops, check out this column at JoeSportsFan.com about the unsung heroes in today's NBA and why the Allen Iverson trade is, well, stupid.

Carry on.

A new Monthly Mustache Interview is up and this time around AMI chats with former Dodgers, Cubs, and A's third baseman Ron Cey. You can check it out here.

Carry on. 

If you have paid attention to AMI, you know that we dig live music, aiding our community, and lip fur. That's why we roll out top bands each year for 'Stache Bash to raise thousands of dollars for Challenger Baseball.

Such is also the case for LiveFeed, a relatively new grassroots organization in St. Louis, dedicated to engaging the entertainment industry and its fans to promote hunger awareness and provide a consistent, reliable inflow of food to local food pantries, as well as being dedicated to supporting local musicians and venues. 

It's important to remember that 135,000 children in St. Louis face hunger every day. That's enough to fill Busch Stadium three times. LiveFeed is working with St. Louis' best musicians to put on events every week that raise money and food donations to support local hunger relief efforts. 

And of course, this gels well with the Mustached American people -- as we are particularly good at flavor saving. 

Where are we going with this? Well, we couldn't reach LiveFeed's top peeps (they were busy getting ready), but one of the organization's board members is a strong, strong supporter of the Mustached American people.

And this Friday, November 7 at 8 p.m., LiveFeed will celebrate its first year in operation with a special show featuring their inaugural artist Javier Mendoza, as well as last year's "Battle Of The Cans" winner Walk Sophie and a recent addition to the LiveFeed team -- master singer-song writer Adam Stanley.  The show will be at The Gramophone in St. Louis and you can buy tickets here -- VIP passes are $40 and general admission just $15. 

The mustache nation will be supporting this effort and we hope you can too.

Carry on. 

 

With the culmination of yet another ugly presidential election tomorrow, three members of the AMI's administration and faculty have initated write-in campaigns: Vijoy Rao, Prof. Anthony Zagora, and Ryan McClure, Esq.

Despite records filled with convictions for felonious assault and mopery charges, the trio has launched this unnecessary and hateful YouTube video campaign attacking one another, and last night conducted an online debate, the results of which have been posted below:

Moderator: Gentlemen, thank you for joining here today on the campus of the American Mustache Institute in St. Louis. You'll have 30 seconds to respond to each retort, gesture, or gastric imbalance. Mr. Zagora, you have won the right to begin as you properly guess that actor Paul Fusco was indeed the voice of 1980s sitcom star ALF.

Zagora: Frankly, I just don’t think that Ryan is fit to lead. He’s soft on terror (he dressed up as Winnie the Pooh for Halloween), he’s soft on crime (he doesn’t even own a semi-automatic weapon or at least I’ve never heard him talk about it), and he still won’t talk about the details of his healthcare plan. Besides, Ryan, isn’t it true that you’ve been driving around in a silver Saturn for years? Way to support the American auto industry by driving a car built on another planet. Saturn is a gaseous planet. How can they even build cars? Huh, Ryan, how can they even build cars?

McClure: In regard to Mr. Zagora’s attack on my choice of vehicle, I’ll just say this……he drives a Vibe. A Vibe ladies and gentleman. Not to mention that he drove his own Saturn off a cliff in a bizarre Muppet incident about which I will spare the American people the grizzly details. Mr. Zagora’s attacks are clearly an attempt to distract the American people from my stance on the REAL issues. I’ve said from day one that my main goal is to get Chevy Chase back into feature films making stellar celluloid classics like “Cops and Robertsons."

Rao: Look yo. Saturn’s scream “AMERICA” and “Zagora” screams commie pinko. The reality is that I can offer a plan to rid this nation of unnecessary and un-American reduction surgeries and that’s what we really need. Can I get a holla?

Zagora: I demand an apology for the commie pinko remark! That is offensive to the hard working pink communist Americans across this great nation. Ladies and gentleman, this is exactly the kind of negative campaigning that our country is sick of. These two a-holes are just friggin a-holes and we’re not gonna take the negative campaign tactics from a bunch of frigging, no good a-holes anymore. You’d never catch me name calling on the campaign trail. No sir, it’s just not my style.

McClure: Mr. Zagora just called me an a-hole and I am upset that Mr. Rao is not admonishing and rebuking that comment. Mr. Rao, I demand you apologize for what Mr. Zagora just said to me!

Rao: Maybe brutha's got a point my man. Look, we are not here to nit-pick about cars, names, Wheach beer - which is for losers - and grown men who weigh like 78 pounds. We are here to discuss the real issues and I aint hearing it, yo.

Zagora: Finally, my opponent wants to talk about the issues! It’s about time. You want to talk about the real issues? Here’s one, I have a REAL issue with your stupid effing face. Eff it, I’m taking my campaign and I’m going home!

McClure: You can’t take your campaign and go home. I’m taking MY campaign and going home. In fact, I’ve got a Lego Death Star I need to complete and this stupid campaign is keeping me from it. I hate this campaign and I hate all of you.

Moderator: Well, on that happy note -- Mr. Rao, Mr. McClure, Professor Zagora -- thank you for wasting all of our collective time.
 

In 2001, the AMI research department under the guidance of Dr. Daniel Callahan conducted a study which found that 92.3 percent of Mustached Americans believe they tolerate the female gender for one reason and one reason only - primal needs.

Indeed, from the age of 12 we begin to feel the urge as our favorite feminine co-ed walks past us. By our late teens and throughout our twenties, it's 100 MPH thinking about one thing and one thing only - and guys who say otherwise are simply lying to get a little sumpin sumpin.

Marriages without a healthy amount of sex generally crumble. And the two biggest liars in the world are guys who say they have never, um, satisfied themselves, and those who say they quit. In other words, the Mustached American, and for that matter all men - we are all dogs who think about sex.....constantly.

So when word of a new study hit the Washington Post saying that 40 percent of women report sexual problems, but only 12 percent are distressed about it.

I mean seriously, come on. How selfish can these women be? They know we need regular love. We cannot exist without it. And due to this study it's now estimated that just 12 percent of 83 million U.S. women aged 20 to 65 care about their sexual inadequacy that we, the male populace, rely on for sustinence.

And here's where the Washington Post reporter Amanda Gardner, who is probably a huge fan of "Sex & The City," clearly doesn't get it. She had the audacity to write, "In a double whammy for the female gender..."

ARE YOU FREAKING SEROIUS AMANDA?

Men and men alone are the ones getting hit with your "double whammy."

The only good news was that, "The highest prevalence of sexual dysfunction was in older women," according to study author Dr. Jan Shifren, an associate professor of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive biology at Harvard Medical School and director of the Vincent Menopause Program at Massachusetts General Hospital.

Because of course, by the time our wives, girlfriends, lifepartners and stow-aways get to about 42, we're looking into the 20-something pool for replacement parts or replacements altogether.....not that there's anything wrong with that.

So please ladies, think of Dr. Callahan's research and stop being so selfish, ensuring that the next time you are querried about your sexual needs, you can demonstrate some selfless behavior and think of your male peers of Mustached American descent.

Carry on.

*apologies to all of our Dave Navarro co-haters that we were not able to work in an-anti Navarro reference in this but he does still suck.

 

 

We know that our bearded friends can have their chin scruff filled with weevils, and sometimes, they are simply not very good looking. They also constitute the "spousal compromise," or that half-way meeting point between the weakness of the clean-shaven mortals and the sheer power of the Mustached American where your spouse makes you settle half way. 

And with the National Baskeball Association (NBA) kicking off this season - not only should you read this week one analysis from JoeSportsFan - but we also bring you some ridiculous NBA beards:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One year ago today, one of the great inspirations for the American Mustache Institute left us -- Robert Goulet died on Oct. 30, 2007. That's why AMI created the "Robert Goulet Memorial Mustached American of the Year" award - won this year by Tim Galvin - as a way to honor his greatness and the wonder of his lip sweater.

Ironically as well, Goulet's death came on the 43rd anniversary of the completion of the world's largest mustache - the Gateway Arch in St. Louis. Coincidence? Maybe yes, maybe no. Who's to say?

But what we loved about Bob was his ability to laugh at himself. How else can you explain his enduring popularity and appeal on shows like "The Simpsons," SNL, appearing on four (count 'em) episodes of "Fantasy Island," a turn as the evil villain Quentin Hapsburg in the "Naked Gun," and a very memorable commercial for Emerald Nuts - I still believe that Bob comes in to my office at night and messes things up.

You can still hear him just about anywhere online. Here's Bob performing a dramatic reading of Bart Simpson's chalkboard writings for a Simpsons' radio ad.

Or how about his ads for ESPN? "The two sweetest words in the English language after chorus girl — college hoops," he said.

We could not have chosen anyone else to take the name of our annual Mustached American of the Year award. While he was far more than his mustache, he represented everything the 'stache means: good looks, great pipes and the kind of sense of humor that allows you to make a fool of yourself every once in a while.. 

To quote his own words, "When I die, I want my gravestone to say, 'He left them smiling.'"

We're still smiling, Bob.

As was to be expected, the American Mustache Institute's 'Stache Bash 2008 was an epic event, with hundreds of mustached (and some non-mustached) revelers enjoying the carnival-like annual benefit party supporting Challenger Baseball, a baseball league for children and adults for developmental disabilities.

Friends new and old came from Tampa, New York, Washington, D.C., Vermont, Virginia, Chicago, Kansas City, and even East St. Louis to see the likes of: 

• The deliciously sexy showgirl and Mark Spitz, who took best costume;  
• The evening's "Best Mustache" winner, who drove 550 miles from Sandusky, Ohio on a Harley-Davidson just to attend;
  
• There was the retired narcotics officer from New York City who took home the first annual "Robert Goulet Memorial Mustached American of the Year" award, sponsored by Just For Men Haircolor (read about this in detail here). 
• And of course, there was the anticipated handing over of the reigns of the day-to-day leadership of AMI from Dr. Aaron Perlut to Dr. Abraham Froman.
  

There were other odds and ends, like fire dancing, three terrific live bands, and even a mustached chicken.  Next year, of course, will be bigger, better, and even more stupid.

But most importantly, the event raised about $15,000 for Challenger, and that, in the end, is what it's all about. You can see the full album of attendee uploaded pics here.

Carry on.

 

 Decorated New York City Cop Named“Mustached American of the Year”

 

Known as “The Stache,” he’s now the 2008 Goulet award winner,

sponsored by Just For Men® Haircolor

 

ST. LOUIS (Oct. 27, 2008) - Tim Galvin, a retired New York City policeman who was known along his beat simply as “The ‘Stache,” was voted the 2008 winner of the American Mustache Institute’s “Robert Goulet Memorial Mustached American of the Year,” sponsored by Just For Men® Haircolor. The award recognizes the most impactful Mustached American of the past year.

 

Galvin was honored Saturday, Oct. 25, in St. Louis at ‘Stache Bash 2008, the American Mustache Institute’s (AMI) annual benefit for Challenger Baseball, a baseball league for children and adults with developmental disabilities.

 

“We are proud to name Tim Galvin as the first ‘Robert Goulet Memorial Mustached American of the Year’ award winner,” said Joy Robinson of Just For Men® Haircolor, which also announced a $5,000 contribution to Challenger Baseball before placing a purple and gold crown on Galvin’s head.

 

Galvin, a modest Suffern, N.Y. resident, was honored to have been voted the first “Goulet” award winner.

 

“I accept this honor for Mustached Americans everywhere,” he told an overflow crowd of nearly 1,000. “After 34 years of proudly wearing a mustache, I am humbled to be recognized by an organization that values and honors it.”

 

Galvin won the “Goulet” award in an online poll, and competed against an all-star roster of fifteen distinguished Mustached Americans, including sports greats Jason Giambi, Art Monk, Goose Gossage and Keith Hernandez; Libertarian Party presidential candidate Bob Barr; and Cleveland Brown of FOX’s “Family Guy’ –  the only animated American nominated for the award.

 

“We’ve heard a lot of talk about ’Main Street’ during this presidential election season, and Tim’s victory is a tribute to the everyday Mustached American – a breed of men and women who serve as this nation’s backbone,” said Dr. Aaron Perlut, AMI’s chairman and outgoing executive director. “As acceptance of furry upper lips increases, our organization is growing in numbers, strength, good looks, average weight and IQ.

 

“It is especially fitting that the award was won by a member of the law enforcement community, a profession that has understood the power of the mustache through the lean years when growing and maintaining one was looked down upon by the clean-shaven under-belly of society.”

 

Who is Tim Galvin?

Typical of loyal Mustached Americans, Galvin is a soft-spoken man – yet tough – who has let his deeds and mustache do his talking. In the nomination application for the “Goulet” award, his son Michael described his father’s mustache as “respect-demanding.”

 

 

Galvin was a New York City policeman for more than 20 years, receiving three medals of valor and retiring as a captain after being shot twice – in the face and leg – while working undercover. As a patrolman, he was limited to having a “chevron” mustache, but when he became a plain clothes officer, he was able grow a large “horseshoe” mustache to fit in on the streets, creating a persona with informants throughout the city.

 

“Clearly, a man who's been shot twice is confident enough about his looks that he doesn't have time for fashion niceties like whether his belt matches his socks,” added AMI’s Perlut.  “Like the clean-shaven metrosexual populous, a man like Tim doesn’t sit around pondering whether his mustache is in fashion this season – it’s always mustache season to Tim.”

 

Showing the bizarre attention to his lip sweater befitting a “Mustached American of the Year,” Galvin knows the day he started growing his mustache – July 1, 1974.

 

“That was the day I graduated from Catholic high school and could finally grow one,” he said. “I wanted one to look like Ben Davidson, the great Oakland Raider.”

 

Galvin has not shaved it since. 

 

The Goulet award, given for the first time this year, is named for the legendary performer Robert Goulet, whose voice, trademark mustache, sense of humor, and black leather jackets represented a quadruple-threat of talent the American Mustache Institute is proud to salute.

 

‘Stache Bash 2008, held at Lumiere Casino in downtown St. Louis, was a resounding success raising more than $15,000  for and awareness of Challenger Baseball.

 

“We cannot accurately express our appreciation to the American Mustache Institute for its support of Challenger Baseball,” said Buck Smith, who runs St. Louis Challenger Baseball. “The funds AMI has raised has allowed us to add new teams each year, providing more kids and adults with developmental disabilities the opportunity to play baseball.”

About AMI

The American Mustache Institute, the bravest organization in the history of mankind behind only the U.S. Military and the post-Jim Henson Muppets, is the world’s only facial hair advocacy and research organization, with more than 600 chapters around globally. AMI battles negative stereotypes and discrimination against the Mustached American race. Based in St. Louis due to the presence of the world’s largest mustache – the Gateway Arch – the organization is committed to recapturing the mustache’s glory years of the 1970s, when there existed a climate of acceptance, understanding, and flavor saving for Mustached Americans.

 

About Challenger Baseball

Challenger Baseball is a baseball league for youngsters and adults with developmental disabilities. The fundamental goal of Challenger Baseball is to give every player the chance to play. To realize that goal, Challenger has two basic rules: every player bats each inning, and every player plays the field. The league does not count strikes, and does not count outs. Every player scores and every player wins. Challenger Baseball participants learn not only the fundamentals of baseball, but also experience teamwork, being cheered on by a crowd, and being encouraged by peers. All players are named all-stars and all receive trophies.

 

###

 

Abraham Froman
Chief Executive Officer
The American Mustache Institute
www.AmericanMustacheInstitute.org
(877) STACHE-1
"...a mustache is a terrible thing to shave"


Disclaimer: AMI supports healthy, performance enhancing-free mustaches that contain no pesticides. Mustaches should be worn at the individual's own risk, and AMI is not responsible for mustaches that make men look like child molesters or Dave Navarro. Wearing a "Dictator" mustache may lead to repeated beatings. Mustaches should not be worn by women who hope to find employment outside of waste collection or who are looking for male companionship. If your mustache causes you to have an erection for more than four hours, seek immediate attention from a doctor, spouse, girlfriend, or Dave Navarro. In extremely rare cases, mustaches may cause significant decreases in sexual activity, friendships, and approval by society at large. Unibrows, commonly referred to as "forehead mustaches," are not recognized by AMI. AMI does not support chin coverage (i.e. beards, goatees) as they represent the "spousal compromise." The vast majority of mustache wearers have highly positive responses from friends, exotic dancers and grade school teachers. AMI strongly encourages consulting a physician before exploring your personal mustache capabilities, as premature mustache growth may lead to feelings of despair and depression. AMI cautions against trusting clean-shaven officers of the law. If a mustache-free constable attempts to stop your vehicle, dial 911 and proceed to the nearest police station, where a squadron of heavily mustached officers will greet you with open arms. Please consider the environment before shaving your mustache, and when considering your presidential choices in 2008, remember that Bob Barr is the first mustached American presidential candidate since Thomas E. Dewey in 1948.

*This was NOT sent from a Blackberry, as mustached Americans neither own, nor have the ability, to operate Blackberrys.

 

Since Ike Turner is no longer with us -- In advance of the American Mustache Institute's charity benefit 'Stache Bash 2008 on Saturday Oct. 25 at Lumiere Casino, St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay has declared the day "Mustache Day" in the city.

WHEREAS, appreciation of a handsome mustache knows no bounds of race, creed or color; and

WHEREAS, the St. Louis-based American Mustache Institute (AMI) will hold ‘Stache Bash 2008 to celebrate the mustache and to benefit St. Louis Challenger Baseball, a local baseball league for children and adults with disabilities; and

WHEREAS, since its incorporation over a year ago, AMI has carved its niche as a tongue-in-cheek facial advocacy group and has gone national, as well as international, in a big, big way; and

WHEREAS, it is my great pleasure to welcome everyone participating in ‘Stache Bash 2008, and I thank each and every one of you for your support of this worthy cause.

Now, therefore, I, Francis G. Slay, Mayor of the City of St. Louis, do hereby proclaim October 25, 2008, as:

"MUSTACHE DAY"

IN THE CITY OF ST. LOUIS

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused to be affixed the seal of the City of St. Louis, this 25^th day of October, A.D. 2008. 

 

 

 

The American Mustache Institute has reached out to Sylvania Township officials as you can read here. To read this article on the Web site of the Toledo Blade click here.

 

Sylvania Township officer suspended, within a whisker of termination

By ANGIE SCHMITT
BLADE STAFF WRITER

In tonsorial circles, it’s sometimes called “The Quick Draw” — a mustache moniker those in law enforcement might heartily appreciate.

But the Sylvania Township police chief didn’t and last night the township trustees agreed unanimously, telling one of their patrol officers not so fast.

Officer Ron Dicus was suspended for three days without pay for insubordination for disobeying orders to trim his mustache.

During a three-hour, quasi-judicial hearing before the trustees, with lawyers on behalf of both parties examining witnesses, police Chief Robert Metzger described Officer Dicus’ mustache as being a “George Custer-type.”

That’s right, the officer of Little Big Horn-fame, who spent much of his childhood in Monroe.

The chief contended that Officer Dicus’ facial hair was in violation of a new department policy that says mustaches should be neatly trimmed and should not extend past the “crease of the mouth.”

Officer Dicus said he trimmed his mustache after an initial warning and after the charge was filed against him.

He said he used to wear his mustache long on the sides — down to his chin, but at yesterday’s hearing it was trimmed straight above the mouth.

“Because it involved insubordination, this is the way it had to be handled,” Trustee Pam Hanley said after she and fellow trustees took more than an hour in a closed-door executive session to make their decision.

“Insubordination is a very serious charge. This isn’t about a mustache,” she added.

Officer Dicus, a nine-year veteran of the police force who has never been reprimanded, faced punishment ranging from public reprimand to termination.

He said he plans to take the matter to arbitration.

“I don’t think justice was done,” he said. “I think it’s a big waste of taxpayer money. I should have never gotten to this point in the first place.”

Officer Dicus said he believes the chief’s policy is in violation of his union’s contract, which permits officers to wear mustaches. The contract does not offer further qualification.

He said he was unfairly targeted because he recently was named president of the department’s patrolman’s union.

“I’ve had this mustache since I was 18,” he said. “All of a sudden it’s an issue.”

Chief Metzger said he revised the policy on facial hair in June and that all officers were notified. The chief said the new policy was based on a 1976 Supreme Court decision regarding officer facial hair.

“An order is an order,” the chief said. “We had been through this route before with other officers. I don’t want to make a big deal about something that appears to be so minor. It’s a very simple issue of trimming.”

According to testimony from witnesses, Officer Dicus was ordered on Sept. 15 by Sgt. Lee McKinney at the direction of the police chief to trim his mustache.

Officer Dicus was found to be in violation of the policy again Sept. 26 and was charged with insubordination.

Sergeant McKinney described Officer Dicus as “a good officer.”

More than 20 officers from the department attended the hearing in support of Officer Dicus.

William Schmitz, an attorney representing the township, said Officer Dicus was “testing the resolve” of his superior officers by failing to comply with orders with which he did not agree.

Mr. Schmitz said it is vitally important that an officer’s appearance project authority.

“In order to comply with this policy, you have to trim your mustache regularly — not just once or twice,” he said.

“We can’t go around having officers decide which orders they are going to obey and which orders they are not going to obey,” he added.

Officer Dicus’ attorney, Jerome Phillips, said two unfair labor practice charges are pending against the township before the State Employment Relations Board.

One charge contends the mustache policy is at odds with the union contract; the other alleges Officer Dicus was passed over for sergeant although he scored highest on the written portions of the sergeant’s exam.

Contact Angie Schmitt at: aschmitt@theblade.com or 419-724-6104.