(Image source from: ndtv.com)

New York:
The New York Police Department has chose its first woman turbaned Sikh auxiliary police officer after graduating last week from New York City Police Academy.

Gursoach Kaur, whose aim is to motivate others to join law enforcement and create better understanding of Sikhism will be joining the department asn an Auxilary Police Officer (APO).

"We are proud to welcome first Sikh turbaned female Auxiliary Police Officer in the New York Police Department. APO Gursoach Kaur and other Auxiliary Police Officers graduated from the academy. We are proud of you. Stay safe. #sikhsinlawenforcement," the Sikh Officers Association tweeted.

The Sikh Officers Association is the nation’s first organization to represent Sikh officers in Law Enforcement.

The association further took it to Facebook saying, “Proud to welcome Ms. Kaur to the Police Department. Your service will be a motivation for others to join the Law enforcement Family.”

"Delighted to see a turbaned lady officer in NYPD. Hope this fosters better understanding of Sikhism and Sikhs and corrects perceptions in the US so that incident which happened with me in 2010 and recently with Canada minister Navdeep Bains do not recur. Sikhs are ambassadors of harmony," tweeted by Hardeep Singh Puri, Minister of State for Housing and Urban Affairs.

While making announcement after a police graduation ceremony, New York police commissioner James O’Neil said, "We're making this change to make sure that we allow everybody in New York City that wants to apply and have the opportunity to work in the greatest police department in the nation, to make sure we give them that opportunity.”

By Sowmya Sangam