Police develop bullet-proof turbans for Sikh officers

Police develop bullet-proof turbans for Sikh officers
Scientists are developing bullet-proof turbans so Sikh officers can work as armed police

Sikhs are currently barred from becoming firearms or riot police because their religion does not allow them to remove their turbans to put on protective headgear.

But scientists are now working on developing a turban made from Kevlar-like material to protect their heads from gunshots.Thare more than 2,000 Sikh police officers and staff in the UK as well as a recently formed British Police Sikh Association.

"Sikh officers have been prohibited from becoming firearms officers because our religion does not allow us to remove the turban," said Inspector Gian Singh Chahal, from Kent Police and vice chairman of the BPSA.

"Nor can we wear the NATO helmet for public order policing.

"We need to approach the Home Office and police forces and to gain their acceptance so that Sikh officers could become firearms and public order officers whilst wearing turbans.

"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."

He said research had already begun into finding the perfect material to use for the creating a ballistic turban, but that the head-wear would need to pass Home Office tests before it could be given to officers.

Last year West Midlands Police spent tens of thousands of pounds trying to find protective headgear to fit over a turban after a Sikh officer applied to join the counter-terrorist Operational Support Unit.

A Home Office spokesman said today (Thurs): "The Government wants a police service that reflects the diverse communities it serves.

"It is down to individual forces to make reasonable adjustments to accommodate the religion or beliefs of individual officers, as far as operational requirements permit."

with thanks : source : www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/lawandorder/5291890/Police-develop-bullet-proof-turbans-for-Sikh-officers.html

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