Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher’s (TX-07) legislation to honor Harris County Sheriff’s Deputy Sandeep Singh Dhaliwal was signed into law by President Trump yesterday. Fletcher’s legislation, H.R. 5317, the Deputy Sandeep Singh Dhaliwal Post Office Act, renames the post office located at 315 Addicks Howell Road to the “Deputy Sandeep Singh Dhaliwal Post Office.”
“Deputy Dhaliwal’s loss was devastating to our community for so many reasons, chief among them, because he represented the very best of our community: he worked for equality, connection, and community through his life of service to others,” said Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher. “He was widely regarded as a role model for Americans of all faiths wishing to serve their communities, and an example of how one person can change our community for the better. Through his dedication, he was able to improve law enforcement’s—and our community’s—understanding of the contributions by the Sikh community to Houston.
“I am grateful that my legislation to honor Deputy Dhaliwal in the community he loved and served faithfully has been signed into law. From now on, the Deputy Sandeep Singh Dhaliwal Post Office will be a permanent reminder of his service, his sacrifice, and his example for us all.”
In 2015, Lt. Dhaliwal became the first Sikh American in Texas to receive a policy accommodation to serve while wearing his articles of faith, including his turban and beard. He was the first Sikh police officer to serve in the Harris County Sheriff’s Office and was a role model and a trailblazer for Sikh Americans and religious minorities that sought to serve in law enforcement.
On September 27, 2019, Deputy Dhaliwal was killed in the line of duty. In October 2019, Congresswoman Fletcher led the entire Houston delegation in introducing H. Res. 616, a resolution to honor the life and mourn the loss of Deputy Dhaliwal and spoke on the House floor about his remarkable life and tragic death.
