By Our Correspondent

After attending a police outreach seminar designed to attract applications from visible minorities, Ajmer Singh Aujla and Gurmakh Singh, of Windsor students are considering another cultural deviation. Both men said Saturday night’s seminar delivered to the Windsor Chapter of the World Sikh Organization at the Forest Glade community center, inspired them to consider a career in the Police force.

“I II think about it,” said 20 year old Gurmukh, a human kinetics student. “I’ll definitely apply.”

Though he admitted most Canadian Sikhs put pressure on their children to pursue careers in higher paying fields, Ajmer said, “It’s nice to see (the police force) is taking an interest in us.” The 23 year old business student said he will also apply.

Armed with a handful of constables and cadets representing various minority groups the police department completed the final two stops on a seminar Saturday in. Forest Glade and Sunday afternoon at the Windsor West Indian Association club on Seminole Street.

The first two seminars one at the Polomia Centre for the city’s South Asian communities and the other at the university for minority students brought just one qualified applicant. But police say more seminars may be held.

The city’s 200 family Sikh community received a clear message; the door open for visible minorities to become police officers. And for the sect’s more orthodox followers the wearing of turbans and kirpans (20 cm ceremonial daggers) on the job never previously done in Canada is no problem said Deputy Chief Alec Somerville.

During the meeting the Deputy Chief Alec Somerville gave a very clear message to the Sikh community. He said that “the door is open for visible minorities to become police officers, and for more orthodox followers (meaning Amnitdharies), the wearing of Turbans and Kirpans on the job never previously done in Canada, is no problem.

WS.O. has appealed to the Sikhs to aggressively pursue the career in police department now that police has taken those steps.

Article extracted from this publication >>  March 17, 1989