KENNEBUNK — The next time you see a male police officer, depending on where you are, he could be sporting a full beard.

Cops tend, for the most part, to be clean shaven, though policies vary from department to department. Some law enforcement agencies, like Wells Police, allow only neat mustaches. Other agencies, like Kennebunk Police, allow goatees. 

Some agencies in larger centers, like New York City, allow beards for religious reasons. 

In York County, officers from 13 law enforcement agencies will be sporting lots of facial hair throughout October to help raise funds for a nonprofit called the Children’s Advocacy Center of York County, which helps kids who are victims of sexual abuse.

And they’re happy to do it. In fact, each officer who signed up had to cough up $30 for the privilege of putting his razor on the shelf for a month, according to Molly Louison of CACYC. Officers are  hoping folks they meet will ask about their growing facial hair — so they can tell why they’re growing it and how they can help the cause.

This is the second year for the Beards for Bucks Campaign to benefit CACYC. York County law enforcement agencies taking part include Berwick, Buxton, Eliot, Kennebunk, Kennebunkport, Kittery, North Berwick, Ogunquit, Old Orchard Beach, Saco, South Berwick, Wells and York.

“I like it because (the money raised) stays local,” said Kennebunk Police Officer Jason McClure, who regularly sports a mustache and small goatee — which he intends to  grow into a full beard for the cause.

Officer Matthew Harrington is already at full beard stage, for the first time ever. It is sort of itchy, he said, but people who see him ask — and so a conversation begins.

“If  people see officers with beards, and they ask, it gives us an opportunity to strike up a conversation,” said Wells Police Lieutenant Gerry Congdon. He said about six Wells officers — including him — are growing their beards for the cause.

Kennebunk Police Detective Steve Borst said eight Kennebunk officers signed up to take part.

Since opening in May, CACYC, an arm of Sexual Assault  Response Services of Southern Maine has served over 60 children and their families, said Louison.

The center, located at York County Court House in Alfred, provides forensic interviews, coordinated meetings with investigators, staff, children and their families; medical services by a board-certified pediatrician; referrals for services like mental health providers, victim’s rights, legal aid, domestic violence support and more. As well, there are follow up visits by a family advocate.

Until the center opened, a youngster who reported being sexually abused was interviewed several times — first by a law enforcement officer, then a district attorney, the state health and human services personnel and others as prosecutors prepared to bring the perpetrator to trial. Now, the child has to tell their story just once, to a trained forensic interviewer who records the conversation. The tape is available only to those agencies who need it.

The Beards for Bucks Campaign raised $6,500  for CACYC in 2016, said Louison.

Borst said contributions help CACYC with day-to-day operations.

“Anything we can do to help — it’s one of our goals,” Borst said.

Louison said folks may donate by visiting the agency’s YouCaring page at: http://bit.ly/2h413xl. Those who would like to donate by check or money order, should make it payable to: SARSSM (adding CAC of York County or Beards for Bucks in the memo line) and mail to: SARSSM, P.O. Box 1371, Portland, ME 04104. 

— Senior Staff Writer Tammy Wells can be contacted at 324-4444 (local call in Sanford) or 282-1535, ext. 327 or twells@journaltribune.com.