Hundreds of people gathered in Wolverhampton to pay tribute to Sandeep Dhaliwal, a Sikh US police officer who was fatally shot during a routine patrol in Texas last month.
Dhaliwal, 42, served as a deputy for the Harris County Sheriff's Office and was hailed as a trailblazer for being the first officer in Texas to wear a traditional Sikh turban and beard. His murder sent shockwaves through the US and Sikh communities worldwide.
At the memorial service on Saturday, Sun Kaur of United Sikhs described Dhaliwal as someone who 'lived everyday in service of others' and 'proudly wore his turban' to symbolise his commitment to 'equality for all'.
Dhaliwal's sister, Wolverhampton councillor Rupinderjit Kaur, helped organise the event. She recalled her brother's advice: 'Never compromise with your faith to fit in. Be an example.'
Born in India, Dhaliwal first worked as a truck driver in Texas before joining the sheriff's department ten years ago. Police say he was shot in the back of the head by a convict who feared returning to prison; his killing is not suspected to be a hate crime.
