It’s a wrap

By Emma Sun
VICTORIA Police recruit Amitoj Singh made history both for the Victorian police force and for the Sikh community when he graduated from the Police Academy wearing the first Victoria Police turban.
Mr Singh, 32, who began his first day at the Endeavour Hills police station on Tuesday, is of Sikh faith, which requires all followers to wear a turban.
He said he felt very proud to have received the chance to wear the first Victoria Police turban.
“I’m the first Sikh who wears the turban and I’m very proud of it, so is my family and my community. Everyone is very happy.”
Sikh Interfaith Council of Victoria president Gurdarshan Singh said the council was delighted that Victoria embraced multiculturalism.
“It has allowed Amitoj to remain true to his religion and serve the community wearing the article of faith, the turban,” he said.
“We see it as an honour to service the community and it’s a matter of pride for the community that we are able to contribute to the safety of general Victoria.The police are truly commended for working towards developing a workforce that is reflective of the communities it is serving.”
Unshorn hair is considered an article of faith for Sikh males, which is kept covered by a turban and represents honour and dignity of the person.
The Victoria Police turban will be made from Indian cotton which will match the police tunic. Up to three turbans will be issued annually in a choice of two fabric weights. Where safety is an issue and protective headgear will be required, a patka, a cloth head covering would be worn under the protective head gear to symbolise the turban.
Victoria Police Superintendent Bob Hill said Victoria Police was committed to creating and sustaining a workforce that was diverse and representative of different cultures, experiences and backgrounds so that the workforce was as diverse as the community.
“The Victorian community is the most ethnically diverse in the country and it is important that our police reflect this,” Supt Hill said. “We are committed to attracting more officers from a diverse range of cultural backgrounds as this is the only way we are going to create greater trust and understanding with the community.”
After completing his 23 weeks of training and graduating with the highest academic achievement award for his squad, Amitoj is extremely happy to be out “in the real world”.
“I’m still in training mode, with policing you keep training all the time, right to the top,” Amitoj said. “I’ve been listening to a lot of people, and everyday they learn new things. I can’t ever say you’ve learnt it all.
“I’m hoping to learn a lot from my sergeant and boss. I hope more people will come into the force.”