SALDEF to conduct training for third largest Sheriff’s Office in the United States Washington DC, March 13, 2009 – Last Friday, the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF), the oldest Sikh American civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States, conducted the first of several trainings for the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, the third largest law enforcement agency in the United States. SALDEF Southern Regional Director and Sikh American community leader Bobby Singh conducted a training for an incoming class of deputies in the Harris County Sheriff’s Office. The training is part of SALDEF’s Law Enforcement Partnership Program (LEPP), which has trained over 130,000 police officers since 2002. Mr. Singh has been engaged with annual trainings for law enforcement officials in Harris County since 1999. “We are proud of our partnership with SALDEF and the Sikh American community,” said Harris County Sheriff Adrian Garcia. “Collaboration with diverse community members fosters mutual respect and trust between law enforcement officers and the public and promotes safety for all.” “Through these trainings, we are hoping to develop a more welcoming environment for Sikh Americans in Houston,” said Mr. Singh. “It is only through true partnership and collaboration with our public servants that Sikhs in Harris County will be assured of their right to practice their faith freely.” Background This training effort is a response to community outrage stemming from a December 2008 incident where during the course of investigating the burglary of a Sikh American family’s home, a few Harris County officers allegedly made suggestive remarks to the family about Muslims, terrorism and the Mumbai terrorist attacks. When one of the deputies noticed a family member wearing a kirpan (religious sword), he allegedly pointed a taser gun at her head. Ultimately, police officials handcuffed multiple family members, including a sixty-year-old grandmother. Contact: Rajbir Singh Datta, 202-393-2700 ext 127, info@saldef.org
