In Houston TX, the city officially adopted an accommodation policy for Sikh Americans to serve with their articles of faith intact, at the Houston Police Department (HPD). HPD is the largest law enforcement agency in Texas, and among the largest in the country, to adopt such a policy. This monumental policy will ensure that HPD opens its doors for Sikh to serve and will lead the way for future policies in cities nationwide.
WATCH THE ANNOUNCEMENT HERE: https://www.facebook.com/houstonmayor/videos/714579865717814/
Mayor Sylvester Turner kicked off the press conference remembering and thanking Deputy Sandeep Singh Dhaliwal for his pioneering service, Mayor Turner said, “This day just didn’t happen on it’s own, the work of Deputy Sandeep Singh Dhaliwal laid the predicate, the foundation for today.” Mayor Turner went on to talk about the diversity of the great city of Houston, saying, “Diversity doesn’t mean much if it’s not about being inclusive… today we are making sure that diversity is represented around the table of public service in the city of Houston.”
“Diversity and inclusion are a fundamental American ideal, the Houston Police Department has demonstrated how to uphold and strengthen this ideal,” said SALDEF Executive Director Kiran Kaur Gill. She then thanked Mayor Turner and Chief Acevedo for enacting this important policy change and went on to say, “We believe that this announcement will inspire other local law enforcement units from around the country to follow in the City of Houston’s footsteps.”
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SALDEF Regional Director Bobby Singh has been supporting and encouraging the efforts of diversity and inclusion in the City of Houston for over 25-years and today was the culmination of those efforts, Singh said, “today with the Harris County Sheriff’s Department and the Houston Police Department, we have two of the largest law enforcement agencies in the state of Texas, that have put a stake in the ground and said we believe in inclusion.”
Today’s policy change follows the successful policy change of the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), which in 2012 fully accepted Sikh American officers and candidates, the Riverside Police Department in California who amended their uniform policy in 2014, and the successful policy change and recruitment of Sandeep Dhaliwal by the Harris County Sheriff’s Department in 2015.
“Now the challenge is for others to follow the lead that Houston is setting today,” said Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez.
Speakers at the announcement included, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, Houston Police Department Chief Art Acevedo, SALDEF Executive Director Kiran Kaur Gill, SALDEF Regional Director Bobby Singh, Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez and Dena Marks ADL Regional Director.