ALVIN, TX — Police in this Brazoria County town have taken on the bald-is-beautiful look.

Almost the entire police department sported shaved heads Thursday. They weren’t shorn as a fashion statement, but to raise money to help a fellow officer pay medical expenses for his 3-year-old son, who lost his hair while fighting leukemia.

“Look, Brian, they all look like us,” Officer Forest Hill told his son as they met in front of the police station with most of the 43 officers and others who volunteered to lose their hair to raise money.

“The ladies don’t,” the quiet, but observant lad answered. Brian kept very quiet as hairless officers stood in line to sign his white T-shirt. Occasionally he’d put his plastic dragon on an officer’s bald head or throw his toy police car at one.

Donors paid $100 each for the officers to get their hair cut. The money is being raised by the Alvin Police Officers Association, which also held a fundraiser for Brian last month.

In all, townspeople, members of civic clubs, and businesses donated more than $6,300 just to see cops go bald, Sgt. Jamie Crabtree said, but more is needed.

A group called Blue Santa donated $1,000 for Chief Mike Merkel to have his hair cut.

“This is the first time in more than 50 years I’ve had this little hair,” he said. He kept his moustache, saying it would cost even more for him to give that up.

Municipal Judge Bill Pannell said he raised $1,100 to get his hair cut, even though he only had it cut very short and not shaved. “I’ve got a daughter getting married soon and the new haircut had to be approved by my wife before I got it,” he said.

As the officers stood outside the station, passers-by honked horns, waved and shouted. A group of people stood across the street, applauded and cheered.

Merkel and the officers association put out a warning that people in the area should wear sunglasses.

“We don’t want all the glare to cause an accident,” the notice said.

Crabtree said Brian’s fight with leukemia has touched many officers.

“His dad served in Iraq and he’s seen more courage in his son through all of this,” Crabtree said.

“He never has cried,” Forest Hill said.

Brian was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia on March 31. Although doctors at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston has said he is now in remission, he must continue to undergo chemotherapy for 2 1/2 to 3 years to keep the cancer from coming back.