Community leaders Houston seek permanent memorial to honour slain Indian-American police officer

Community leaders in Houston are working towards establishing a permanent memorial to honour slain Indian-American police officer Sandeep Singh Dhaliwal, who was shot dead on duty during a traffic stop. Harris County Commissioners Court on Tuesday recommended naming a section of the Sam Houston Tollway after Dhaliwal.

The court members unanimously approved the request made by Precinct 2 Commissioner Adrian Garcia to rename the section of the roadway between Texas 249 and US 290 as the Deputy Sandeep S Dhaliwal Memorial Tollway. However, such a request would have to be approved by the Texas Department of Transportation, which will review and provide final approval to the resolution.

Welcoming the recommendation, Indo-American Chamber of Commerce Greater Houston (IACCGH) founding secretary Jagdip Ahluwalia and its president Swapan Dhairyawan told PTI that this will be a fitting memorial for honouring the Indian-American hero. Dhaliwal, 42, was the first Sikh sheriff's deputy in Harris County with a population of over 10,000 Sikhs. He made national headlines when he was allowed to grow a beard and wear a turban on the job.

He was gunned down in September in the town of Cypress after pulling over a vehicle for running a stop sign. In October, Garcia had also proposed to rename the downtown Houston criminal courthouse after Dhaliwal. However, the idea was opposed by a group of lawyers who argued that naming a criminal justice building after a slain police officer could inappropriately prejudice jurors in cases involving police.

Lacking support from his colleagues, Garcia had withdrawn the proposal. Earlier this month, Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher introduced a legislation in the US Congress to name a post office in Houston after Dhaliwal.