The officers serving and protecting the residents of Mocksville are sporting a new look for November.

As a kickoff for a new partnership with Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Davie County, several officers (and even town officials) are participating in “No Shave November”.

This initiative is designed to help raise awareness for a local non-profit organization and prepare officers to continue that awareness into a new mentoring program.

Assistant Chief Pat Reagan explained the reason for the unusual appearance of the officers by stating: “The policy governing the neat, clean-shaven look our officers typically portray has been temporarily suspended by our town manager in support of raising awareness to the Big Brothers/Big Sisters agency.”

Following “No-Shave November,” the department will continue its partnership with Big Brothers/Big Sisters by becoming involved in a national program that pairs police officers with youth in an effort to improve the relationship between police and the communities they serve.

Bigs in Blue is a mentoring program that connects youth with police in communities throughout the nation, building strong, trusting, and lasting relationships. These relationships can help children develop into confident adults and help build stronger bonds between law enforcement and the families they serve.

“The Mocksville Police Department is excited to announce that it will be the first police department in the triad to begin such collaboration with Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Davie County,” Reagan said.

The kickoff began Nov. 1 with the “No Shave November” fund-raising event.  Officers donate $1 per day during November with the opportunity for community members to match, double, or triple donations in an effort to choose their favorite officers. All proceeds will go towards Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Davie.

Mocksville officers will have before, during, and after pictures taken and shared on social media outlets throughout November.

Look for the officers’ photos at: www.bbbsnc.org, Sarge Butters on Facebook, and @MocksvilleD on Twitter. Following the fundraiser, officers will continue to participate in several local activities involving “the littles.”

“This program makes sense in the current national climate around community policing,” Reagan said. He is excited to be a participant. “The Mocksville Police Department is dedicated to having a strong relationship with its citizens. Our agency wants to share a vision with the community we serve: humane, compassionate, culturally fluent cops who have a mind-set of respect and empathy, and make it part of our job to know our residents and their children.”