NYPD changes policy, will allow officers to wear turbans

“We want to make the NYPD as diverse as possible, and I think this is going to go a long way to help us with that,” O’Neill said.

“It’s a major change in our uniform policy, so we had to go about it carefully. And now I have the opportunity to make the change, and I thought it was about time that we did that.”

While the NYPD patrol guide maintains a strict policy regarding head coverings, officers will now be able to wear turbans with a religious exemption signed by top department officials, O’Neill said.

There are about 160 Sikh officers in the NYPD, the commissioner said.