Sikh police seek bulletproof turbans

[Muadib]

Sikh police seek bulletproof turbans | Politics | guardian.co.uk

Sikh police seek bulletproof turbans

British Police Sikh Association calls on Home Office to develop ballistic material to allow members to join firearms units




A Sikh Metropolitan Police officer.

Photograph: Peter Jordan/PA

Sikh police officers want special bulletproof turbans to be developed so they can serve in firearms units, according to the new British Police Sikh Association.

The Sikh religion requires its male followers to wear the turban, but existing police safety helmets do not fit on top of them.

Insp Gian Singh Chahal, vice-chairman of the British Police Sikh Association, said the Home Office needed to make provision for Sikhs and recognise that they had a role to play.

He told Police Review: "Sikh officers have been prohibited from becoming firearms officers because our religion does not allow us to remove the turban.

"There has been some research done into producing a ballistic material [for turbans]. We would like to follow any opportunity where we could manufacture a ballistic product, made out of a synthetic fibre, that would ensure a certain degree of protection, so Sikh police officers could take part in these roles.

"I think there needs to be a recognition from the Home Office that would allow Sikh officers to carry out these roles. I think the will is there from chief constables but perhaps not yet from the Home Office."

The association was launched last month to represent an estimated 2,000 Sikhs who serve in the police.

Sikhs do not have to wear crash helmets under the Motorcycle Crash Helmets (Religious Exemption) Act 1976.

[Muadib]

Those silly Sikhs... What will they think of next...

[Mid]

because our religion does not allow us to remove the turban

there of course , is the answer

[Jools]

How ironic, bullet-proof turbans for logic-proof heads.

[robuzo]

British cops have to wear helmets to be in a "firearms unit"? Would that be the equivalent of a SWAT team?

I've always suspected that the Sikh turban, with several feet of hair piled up underneath it, would function as a kind of helmet on its own, at least with respect to blunt-force trauma.

[ItsRobsLife]

If they got far enough in their career to become a fire-arms officer they should be given all the protection required.

[robuzo]

If they got far enough in their career to become a fire-arms officer they should be given all the protection required.

Or be exempted from the helmet rule.

[Rural Surin]

Perhaps an overlooked and interesting observation, is that there is a organized 'sub-cultural' and seemingly segregated British police Sikh Association. Assuming that they have special internal associations within the broad 'neutral' ideal behind what a police system might be.....cultural, gender, sexual orientation, religious, etc.

[Thai Pom]

I've always suspected that the Sikh turban, with several feet of hair piled up underneath it, would function as a kind of helmet on its own

One of the reasons they put forward when motor cycle helmet laws came into being.

[Thetyim]

This should do the trick

[crazy dog]

Got a lot more time for Sikhs than Muslims who are always painting themselves as victims. Recently a Muslim officer was suing the force for an obscene amount of money because other officers laughed at his (panto like) beard. Sikhism was only militarised with turbans, knife carrying and combat training by their last guru govind sing to meet the threat of the Muslim attacks on them. let them have the bullet proof turbans as long as they don't su anyone who laughs at them

[blackgang]

Fuck them, if you can not dress as is oficially required in the rules then you can't play in the game, "OH I have to have my face covered according to my religion as you will have to tahe my pic for my ID card/Drivers license with my face covered".
No fuck you, uncover it or no license, good day miss.

"If you can not take off your head rags and put on a helmet as required in the rules then get the fuk out of here". I am sorry but you must go along with the rules we have and we will not change the rules because you will not change, Who the fuck do you think you are, African American.?

[hafiz]

love this thread! 5555555555

[crazy dog]

Fuck them, if you can not dress as is oficially required in the rules then you can't play in the game, "OH I have to have my face covered according to my religion as you will have to tahe my pic for my ID card/Drivers license with my face covered".?

Everyone remembers one of the (Islamic) London bombers who escaped the country dressed as a woman in a burka. Seems nobody had the guts to ask him to reveal his face, or presumably ask him anything. So the 6ft plus terrorist just walked onto a plane and away. Glad I left the place, noo labour has ruined it -the greedy expenses claiming buggers.

[Jools]

Got a lot more time for Sikhs than Muslims who are always painting themselves as victims. Recently a Muslim officer was suing the force for an obscene amount of money because other officers laughed at his (panto like) beard. Sikhism was only militarised with turbans, knife carrying and combat training by their last guru govind sing to meet the threat of the Muslim attacks on them. let them have the bullet proof turbans as long as they don't su anyone who laughs at them

Ditto. While I think the beliefs of Sikhs are absurd, they are generally quite non-violent. They are nothing like the Islamothugs, with whom they are frequently confused.

[Loy Toy]

British Police Sikh Association calls on Home Office to develop ballistic material to allow members to join firearms units

You could rap a bit of cloth around one of my 10 litre buckets and that would do the job!

Works for me!

[mryoda]

bullet proof anything, even fabric will be too heavy to wear around the head.

[blackgang]

few wraps of Kevlar would stop a bullet, but the shock would pobly cave their skull in.

[HBerghoff]

Maybe good for shrapnel or a ricocheting bullet? Or maybe a 22 caliber?

[Looper]

British Police Sikh Association calls on Home Office to develop ballistic material to allow members to join firearms units

You could rap a bit of cloth around one of my 10 litre buckets and that would do the job!

Works for me!

Could be onto a nice little earner there Loy Toy if you get the Met bucket contract.

Suggest some Australian style design modifications

[crazy dog]

Been tried and does not work-they can still shoot you in the legs then hang you, such is life.

[panama hat]

At least Sikhs actively engage in their adopted country's social network, far more so than many other immigrant groups . . .

The usual calls for 'fuck off back to where you came from' really shows how small minded some people are. It's not that they're trying to change the structure of the force to suit themselves, like dietary requirements, gender separation end the like.
Whether we like it or not, mainly western countries are open to immigration and one of the strengths of immigration is adaptability. It is NOT, and neither should it be, a completely black and white issue . . . perhaps using the terms black and white might excite some posters here into a frenzy.

Give them the protection they need, where's the harm?

[crazy dog]

The harm is that it ends up with minorities demanding more and more special rights and NOT being adaptable. I would cite the Hindus and Sikhs as being a good examples groups being able to adapt and integrate well, while still retaining their cultural identity. At the other end of the spectrum I would place Muslims who are moving away from integration and who make some very odd demands on the host community. This week in the press there is the case of a young British born dentist who is refusing to treat ANY woman who does not wear a head covering in his chair, and any man refusing to remove gold jewelry claiming it's his religious right. What next ambulance staff refusing to pick up accident victims if they are wearing a cross? probably the way the UK is going.

[Norton]

I would cite the Hindus and Sikhs as being a good examples groups being able to adapt and integrate well

Might have something to do with the fact, Sikhs I know have never tried to convert me to their religion or adapt their way of life. Muslims and Christians seem to make a habit of it.

[panama hat]

This week in the press there is the case of a young British born dentist who is refusing to treat ANY woman who does not wear a head covering in his chair, and any man refusing to remove gold jewelry claiming it's his religious right.

Private practise, nothing to do with the state, though. I agree, however, it is both infantile and stupid/

What next ambulance staff refusing to pick up accident victims if they are wearing a cross?

Never had a Muslim try to convert me, and I live among 20 million, but yes - loads of Christians want to intro us to their church etc . . .

Still, this has nothing to so with the subject matter. I feel that the press makes an issue out of anything that may stoke the fires and Muslims are an easy target as they ARE different and also make themselves different in too many instances.