NYPD Told To Stop Bullying Redheads

The NYPD reportedly has a problem with discriminating against its red-haired officers. But such bullying will no longer be tolerated among New York’s finest.

According to a report from the New York Post (yes, THAT New York Post), an anti-bias message was sent out to Manhattan’s sergeant and lieutenants, advising them that harassment against redheaded officers will no longer be tolerated.

“We’re apparently victims now,” said one red-haired cop with ambiguous sarcasm. “We’re protected from discrimination.”

And yes, discrimination is the key word, because possessing red hair means that your ancestors hailed from across the pond, in Ireland, Scotland, or other British-ish areas, according to the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

The anti-discrimination notice also preempts any lawsuit or complaint, none of which have reportedly been filed yet. Because the fed says that such a lawsuit could be actionable on discriminatory grounds, the NYPD decided to be proactive.

According to Justine Lisser of the EEOC in Washington, DC, “It’s an innocuous-seeming criteria, but if it has a ‘disparate impact’ on a certain racial group, red hair could be considered the basis of discrimination.”

The NYPD does boast one of the most racially and culturally diverse workforces in the nation, and many cops are of Irish decent. A few redheaded cops agreed that bullying is a problem.

“You get abuse every day when your hair is red,” one retired cop told the paper. “You get beaten and chased. You better learn how to fight.”

However, another retired cop of Irish descent (and yes, a “carrot top”) said that trading easy jabs with your fellow officers over each other’s physical appearance and ethnic heritage is just part of the job.

“I never felt I was a minority,” he said. “To put redheads in a protective class — that’s ridiculous!” he mocked. “Toughen up.”

Do you think that redheads should be a protected class?

[Image via: Christopher Parypa / Shutterstock.com]