Holding a beer in one hand dejected 17-yr-old satin the back seat of the police cruiser resigned to his fate “The fact is I caught you with the beer. That’s what it boils down to” the REMP constable said.
“I KNOW. You’re just doing your job” Daryl replied forlornly.
It was fairly typical small-town B.C. Friday night. About 60 beer drinking teenagers and young adults had crowded into a house and cranked the music up. A neighbor complained the RCMP arrived and a minor was caught in possession of alcohol.
In the front seat Dhillon did the paperwork for Daryl’s $50 fine. With the windows rolled up to keep out the cold the cruiser stank of beer.
Outside groups of teenagers spilled from the house into their cars as the party broke up they suddenly noticed their friend in the cruiser
Someone yelled out” One two three lets run” and “Don’t sign it you’ll go to all for life “followed by cackles of laughter.
Then the harmless joking took a nasty tum. “Piggy piggy Ismella Hindu piggy” someone shouted
Dhillon sighed He grabbed his hefty flash-light and walked to the passenger side of the car
It was unclear who shouted the insult. But as soon as Dhillon stood among the kids they quieted as if embarrassed.
A few minutes later as the youths pulled away in their vehicles Dhillon stopped a pickup truck and asked the driver if he’d been drinking. The driver said no doubting him Dhillon placed his no sea few inches from the youths.
AS Dhillon headed to his next call he explained how youths in the mill town have tried to get under his skin with racist name calling during his first six months on the job “don’t even think wise about it I don’t felt anything on the job get to me personally. Once you take it personally you get emotional and then you lose control” Dhillon said.
“What I do is try t0 be professional If you lose control they will jump all over you.”
“More so than any other figure in recent RCMP history Dhillon has had to stay professional despite intense national media attention and a barrage of criticism and abuse from anti-turban activists
After the federal government approved an RCMP request in 1950 allowing Sikhs to wear turbans and beards 200000 Canadians signed petitions against changing the uniform of the 119 yr-old police force
In Quesnel one rumor said there was a $2000 prize at a local bar for anyone who could knock off Dhillon turban and another said he had quit the force in disgrace.
“There was no truth to the rumors but their existence illustrates the unease generated in some quarters by Dhillons acceptance in the RCMP.
Turban opponents perceived the RCMPs uniform especially the Stetson as an immutable Canadian symbol. In the working class town of Quesnel 675km northeast of Vancouver some people remain staunchly opposed an RCMP officer wearing a turban others have reluctantly accepted it.
At the Quesnel hockey arena one recent Saturday night the last place Quesnel Millionaires played the league-leading Prince George Spruce Kings.
With TSN broadcasting the game more than 1100 supporters crowded into the stands. One was Eleonora Pellizzari 43 An immigrant from Italy 21 years ago she is the ticket-taker at Quesnel home games. Her oldest son played for the Millionaires two years ago.
“Myself I would like to say I don’t want to be seen as prejudiced If it is okay for an East Indian to Wear a turban then an Indian can wear feather and a Scottish man kilt” she said.
“IF everyone has their rights 10 wear what they want to wear then (Canada no longer has a symbol. We are a bunch of clowns. What we want to believe is equality we don’t want to see different nationalities with different clothing.”
Pat Gillis whose son played in an exhibition pee-wee game between periods of the Junior A hockey game initially opposed changing the MP uniform.
At the time thought it should be made traditional uniform. Now I don’t have any problem with (the turban). I have not heard any negative things about it. On the whole most people have settled down with it” said Gills.
(Courtesy of Canadian Newspaper)
Article extracted from this publication >> February 7, 1992
