rgxsingh
Elite
On the beat in Nelson Thursday night, a proud Constable Jagmohan Malhi fulfilled his late father's dreams and became the first New Zealand police officer to wear a turban on duty.
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Mr Malhi, a Sikh police officer who has worked in Nelson for nearly three years, said the Sikh faith required men and women not to cut their hair, and to wear a turban.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Although he had grown up wearing a turban, Mr Malhi said he shaved off his beard and moustache "because of peer pressure" when he moved to Nelson eight years ago.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Then, when he graduated from police training college three years ago, he also shaved his head.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Mr Malhi said his father had wanted him to grow his hair again, but he was unsure then whether any police protocol existed in relation to wearing a turban. When his father died last year, he decided to fulfil his wishes and began researching what other policies were in place for police around the world.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]"It was his wish to see me in my turban as a police officer. So I thought I would make it happen."[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]At 5pm on Thursday, he clocked in for his first shift in his new uniform.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]"What he dreamt of, and what I dreamt of, has been fulfilled."[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]While his family were proud to see him in a turban again, Mr Malhi said he had also had a good response from his colleagues, who had been eager to see the turban worn for the first time on the beat.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]He said he did not fear racial abuse, as there were people out there who did not like the police, no matter what they wore.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]"They will throw anything at you whether you're wearing a turban or not."[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Mr Malhi said he knew there would be people who would "say a few things", but said he would simply continue to do his job.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Nelson Bays police area commander Inspector Brian McGurk said adding a turban to the police uniform reflected that the organisation was becoming more diverse and more representative of the communities it worked alongside.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Mr McGurk said he was delighted that the police had been able to help Mr Malhi nurture his religious and cultural beliefs.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]He said New Zealand police approved the turban design earlier this year, as a Sikh police recruit was accepted at police training college, although Mr Malhi was the first officer to wear a turban on duty.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]There had been extensive consultation between the police ethnic responsiveness coordinator, its uniform standards co-ordinator and the Sikh community before the turban was approved, he said.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]- By KIRAN CHUG - Nelson[/FONT]
Source:Sikhnet.com