Sikh police officer 'left humiliated for refusing to remove turban during training’

A Sikh police officer was “humiliated” by his Greater Manchester Police colleagues after refusing to remove his turban for training and undergoing practices that would breach his faith, an employment tribunal heard.

By Andrew Hough Published: 7:00AM BST 17 Sep 2009

Gurmeal Singh, 31, was “deeply offended” by his Greater Manchester Police colleagues’ actions that left him suffering panic attacks and high blood pressure and has been hospitalised twice.

Pc Singh, who is based at Wythenshawe Police station, near Manchester, told the hearing that he was told to remove his turban during a training exercise.

He also claims he was “coerced” into walking through a petrol fire, despite telling trainers about a flammable gel he had applied to his beard, which he feared if it was burnt would break the strict beliefs which he had observed since he was 15.

When officers suggested he get a modified turban, the officer, who joined the force in 2003 as a Police Community support officer at Northernden police station, said he feared he would be made to look like a character from the BBC comedy Only Fools and Horses.

The tribunal in Manchester heard that he felt like he was from an episode of the TV sitcom in which Del Boy Trotter took a delivery of “crash turbans” - helmets with cloth wrapped around it.
When he complained, he claimed one sergeant appeared to trivialise the matter, telling him: “This is what you signed up for.”

Senior officers were even alleged to have made “racist remarks about machine gunning down Eid celebrators” who were celebrating the end of Ramadan, the hearing heard.

The officer, who is claiming £200,000 in compensation from the force, was serving at Northenden, Greater Manchester at the time. "I am deeply offended by the way I have been treated by the police organisation and by various colleagues," he told the hearing.
“My turban is not an article of clothing like a shirt or tie - it is part of me, a part of my religion and I feel as though my religion and I have become an issue for GMP.

“It has made me feel alienated. I was deeply offended and humiliated.”
The hearing was told PC Singh was off sick in April for three months but has returned to light duties at Wythenshawe police station.
GMP deny racial discrimination.
The British Sikh Police Association is backing PC Singh in his legal action.
The hearing continues.

with thanks : source :
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/6197652/Sikh-police-officer-left-humiliated-for-refusing-to-remove-turban-during-training-tribunal-hears.html

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