Wrapped in

By Emma Sun
The 32-year-old says he feels very proud to have received the opportunity to wear the first Victoria Police turban.
“I’m very happy about it,” he said.
“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.”
Gurdarshan Singh, president of the Sikh Interfaith Council of Victoria, says the council is delighted that Victoria embraces multiculturalism and it means a lot for the community.
“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 the 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 to practicing Sikh police members and there will be 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.
Superintendent Bob Hill said Victoria Police was committed to creating and sustaining a workforce that was diverse and strongly representative of different cultures, experiences and backgrounds so that the workforce was as diverse as the community.
Amitoj said that as Victoria was one of the most multicultural places in the world, this was another step towards multiculturalism.
“With Sikh people, they have been working everywhere, in major economies and playing an important role in the community,” he said.
“This is obviously a good thing for multiculturalism.”
Gurdarshan agreed and added that it was not only beneficial for the Sikh community, but for many other cultures as well.
“It is good to have people from various communities in the workforce, and this will encourage people from other communities to come forward as well,” he said.
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 hope more people will come into the force.”