MADISON – You may have noticed officers in Madison Police Department sporting a shaggy look over the past couple of months, but their lack of grooming was all for a good cause.

Madison officers participated in No-Shave November through Dec. 31. To earn this privilege, officers agreed to make charitable contributions to American Cancer Society Prostate Cancer Research Fund and the Madison Police Foundation.

MPD Community Relations Officer Teresa Taylor-Duncan said the officers raised over $2,700.

She said the overall winner was Sgt. Weston Taets, who received bragging rights and the privilege of wearing his beard until the end of Jan. and an Outback gift card.

The team winner was the SWAT team who raised $950 as a group.

“It’s a fun way to give back to these organizations that support us in our efforts to serve and protect,” Officer Taylor-Duncan said.

Following standard rules, personnel of Madison Police Department were not authorized to have beards or goatees. However, officers were allowed to grow and wear this type of facial hair for the months of November and December.

The Madison Police Foundation is supported by the community to promote business and citizen participation in maintaining a safe community. As a link between the police and the public they serve, the foundation provides support beyond the realm of traditional resources allocated within the city’s budget.

Madison Police Foundation supports officers and their families with services and events, along with assisting with programs like Kids Camp, Too Good for Drugs, Rape Aggression Defense (RAD), RAD-Kids and additional life insurance coverage for officers.