UO Police Department adds bearded, motorcycle cops

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) – The University of Oregon has added bikers with beards to its police force.

The Register-Guard reports (https://is.gd/SkaCQl) the campus police department last week unveiled two Kawasaki KLR650 motorcycles. They are black-and-green bikes and include yellow “O” stickers.

The addition coincides with a relaxation of grooming rules. Officers can now grow trimmed beards.

Officer Chris Waggoner and Cpl. Jared Davis are among the first UOPD officers to grow beards and ride motorcycles.

Davis says the new facial-hair policy allows officers to express some individuality. Waggoner says the motorcycles have attracted a lot of thumbs up.

Department officials made the changes to make officers more approachable and accessible.

The department of 20 sworn officers also has cars, trucks, bicycles, two small electric vehicles and two all-terrain vehicles.