What to Know
- Atlantic City firefighter Alexander Smith had filed a civil rights lawsuit to keep the beard he began growing as a born-again Christian
- Fire department guidelines prohibit beards and goatees; a judge denied his request for a temporary restraining order
- A lawyer for Smith says he decided to shave his 3-inch beard so he could continue to provide for his family
A New Jersey firefighter who sued to keep a beard he grew for religious reasons has shaved it off after a judge denied his request for a temporary restraining order that would have allowed him to keep his facial hair.
A lawyer for Atlantic City firefighter Alexander Smith says he decided to shave his 3-inch beard so he could continue to provide for his family.
Smith had filed a civil rights lawsuit to keep the beard he began growing in December as a born-again Christian. Fire department guidelines prohibit beards and goatees, saying facial hair can affect the seal of the breathing mask firefighters wear.
U.S. & World
Smith is an air mask technician who has never had to enter a burning building or wear a mask in his role. But fire officials say all active members are expected to fight fires during an emergency.
