Officer's Signature Mustache Wins Big

"It's my trademark. Everybody knows me by my mustache," Hector Cardona says.

Connecticut police officer Hector Cardona sports a wicked handlebar mustache that is getting international attention.

The Meriden cop has just been voted "Best Law Enforcement Mustache" in a Facebook contest.

"It's amazing, unexpected," Cardona said. "I've had people rolling down their windows as they drive by me and say, 'Hey, I voted for your mustache.'"

The contest was held on the "Police Blotter" Facebook page. One of his former co-workers entered the picture on Cardona's behalf.

Cardona said he's spent more than 20 years perfecting his 'stache.

"It's my trademark. Everybody knows me by my mustache," he said.

He says it takes him about 40 minutes to style every morning. It requires the right combination of mustache wax and gel or he has to start over, and he uses bottles and a cool blow dryer to set it in place.

"That should be good for all day unless it's humid or if it rains, I'm in trouble," Cardona said.

Once his colleagues found out about the contest, many of them stepped in to support his cause.

"He does have the best mustache. Cop or no cop, I don't know anybody that has a mustache like that," said Doug Theriault, a maintenance worker at the police department.

Cardona said people are stopping to take pictures with him, and that one city resident even brought him a T-shirt featuring different mustache designs.

He has no plans to part ways with the look anytime soon.

"I'll take it with me to the grave," he said.

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