With a little help from Old Colony students, it was back to business as usual for members of Rochester's Police Department.

Clean-shaven business, that is. For the last month, several officers from the town's police department have participated in No Shave November. No Shave November is  generally a charity program intended to raise money for colorectal cancer, but Rochester's finest had something a little different in mind. They used No Shave November to support veterans with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). 

Money raised during the police department's No Shave November is given to Home Base, a Red Sox Foundation and Massachusetts General Hospital Program that supports members of the military and their families as they deal with brain injuries, PTSD and other combat-related issues.

Participating officers donate to Home Base—participating Rochester officers were asked to donate at least $100 per officer. Those who donate can also opt to grow their beards through the month of November, as an outward symbol of their support for Home Base.

With the coming of December though, it was time to get rid of November's scruff. Friday, December 1, found officers Nathan Valente, Alex Malo, Sean Crook, Jason Denham, Shaun Peterson and Robert Nordahl in the hot seat, so to speak, as Cosmetology students restored their clean-shaven appearances.

The Cosmetology students razored off a majority of the officers' beards, followed by a close shave from students in Old Colony's Health Careers department.

This is the second year that the Rochester Police Department has participated in No Shave November—Valente brought the idea to Rochester Police Chief Paul Magee last year. Magee participated last year; he waives the department's mandate against facial year below the lip each November for those participating in the charity drive.

No Shave November hits close to home for some members of the department. Two of the department's officers—Jason Denham and Bryan Burger— are veterans. Denham said he and Burger had been promoting the event.

"This is a chance to not have the stress of having to shave for a month," he added. "We really love our beards."

[Zachary McMahon is a sophomore at Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical High School.]