On Tuesday, 5 October, a naming ceremony was held in west Houston where a Sikh Police Officer was honoured by naming a Post Office after him. Sandeep Singh Dhaliwal was the first cop in Texas to serve while keeping his turban. He was killed in 2019 after being shot multiple times while on duty.
The post office at 315 Addicks Howell Road has been renamed after Dhaliwal. A bill was introduced by Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher and was passed with bipartisan support and signed into law on 21 December 2021 by the then President Donald Trump.
Houston's Sikh community and local elected officials and members of law enforcement gathered on Tuesday, 5 October, at a ceremony at 315 Addicks-Howell Road to dedicate the "Deputy Sandeep Singh Dhaliwal Post Office", PTI reported.
"I am honoured to play a role in commemorating Deputy Dhaliwal's remarkable life of selfless service. He represented the very best of our community: He worked for equality, connection, and community through his life of service to others."Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher
The slain Sikh was the deputy at the Harris County Sherrif's Office. He made history in 2015 after he secured a historic, first-of-its-kind accommodation to wear his Sikh articles of faith while serving in uniform. Deputy Dhaliwal was widely regarded for breaking barriers for Sikhs and other religious minorities, a Sikh Coalition release said.
It is not often that a post office is renamed after someone and so the US Postal Service Director, Mr Wilbert said that is it reserved for a select group of individuals.
At the ceremony, County Chief Ed Gonzalez said, "This will serve as a permanent reminder of Deputy Dhaliwal's service, sacrifice, and example to us all. We are thankful to Congresswoman Fletcher and the entire Texas delegation for honouring a committed public servant who touched countless lives and served as a trailblazer. He was a true hero who inspired everyone to love their neighbours."
Other Speakers at the event included Postmaster Chenise LeDoux USPS TX-2 District Manager; Harris County Commissioners Adrian Garcia (Precinct 2), Tom S. Ramsey (Precinct 3), and R. Jack Cagle (Precinct 4); and Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF) Regional Director Bobby Singh, The America Times reported.
(Inputs from the PTI and America-Times)
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