Washington D.C. – Yesterday, legislation to honor Harris County Sheriff’s Deputy Sandeep Singh Dhaliwal was signed into law by President Trump, renaming the post office located at 315 Addicks Howell Road to the “Deputy Sandeep Singh Dhaliwal Post Office.”
U.S. Representative Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07) introduced H.R. 5317 last year to rename the post office after Deputy Dhaliwal. The bill was unanimously passed by the House of Representatives on September 21st and then passed by the U.S. Senate on December 3rd
Deputy Dhaliwal made history when the Harris County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) amended their uniform policy for Sikhs to serve with their beards and dastaars (Sikh turban) while on patrol. He became the first HCSO deputy to be allowed to wear a turban and articles of the Sikh faith while on duty.
Read More: Texas County Sheriff’s Office Makes History (NBC News)
Read More: Harris County, Texas Makes Sikh American History
“I am grateful that my legislation to honor Deputy Dhaliwal in the community he loved and served faithfully has been signed into law,” said Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher. “From now on, the Deputy Sandeep Singh Dhaliwal Post Office will be a permanent reminder of his service, his sacrifice, and his example for us all. He was widely regarded as a role model for Americans of all faiths wishing to serve their communities and an example of how one person can change our community for the better.”
Over the past year, SALDEF Regional Director Bobby Singh has worked hand in hand with Congresswoman Fletcher and the local congressional delegation to ensure that the memory of Deputy Dhaliwal carries on in perpetuity. Additionally, SALDEF has been working with members of Congress to support its passage.
“SALDEF has been working tirelessly with officials to ensure that the memory of Deputy Dhaliwal lives on,” said SALDEF Executive Director Kiran Kaur Gill. “His service to this country and his community will forever be remembered in the naming of this post office. We have been privileged to work with the office of Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher on securing the passage of this bill. We thank her for her support and leadership on this matter.”
“It has been an honor to work on this bill’s passage to recognize the life and contributions of Deputy Dhaliwal. His life of service to others, working for equality, connection, understanding, and community exemplifies the very best of Houston,” said Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher. “I also want to acknowledge and thank our Sikh community partners, including SALDEF and Regional Director Bobby Singh, who have been key partners in working with my team to move this bill forward. With their help, we were able to build awareness of the bill, the Sikh American community, and the trail-blazing religious accommodations created when Deputy Dhaliwal joined the Harris County Sheriff’s Office in 2015.”