Making a difference to community

First Sikh auxiliary officer in Waterloo gets ‘respect’

WATERLOO REGION — While on the job, Iqwal Singh Saggi has drawn a few double takes.

Some people have given him a wave or thumb’s up. Some have stopped and told him they’re glad he’s there.

Saggi, commonly known as Bally, is Waterloo Regional Police’s first Sikh auxiliary officer.

His turban identifies him as a Sikh and his appearance is being noticed.

At a cycling race in Hawkesville on the weekend, where he was directing traffic, he got some stares and said he felt the “respect.”

“It was surprising to them and they take a second look,” he said.

Saggi said he’s not uncomfortable with the attention and sees his presence as “unique.”

“Canada on the whole is very multicultural,” he said.

Saggi joined the auxiliary unit in May last year after moving to Waterloo Region about four years ago.

“I wanted to help out and thought this was a good opportunity to get to know the area,” he said.

Saggi, 41, who was born and raised in London, England, moved to Canada in 2014. He married a Canadian woman and the pair and their son moved here to be closer to his wife’s family.

Saggi, who worked as an anti-smuggling officer at London’s Heathrow Airport for 18 years, said he’s always been interested in law enforcement and is considering policing as a career.

But Saggi, who works full time as a bylaw officer with the Region of Waterloo, enjoys his work.

He is one of 95 auxiliary officers who volunteer their time with the service. Officers direct traffic and control crowds at festivals, events and parades.

The auxiliary also assists officers with RIDE programs, searches for missing people and participates in crime-prevention initiatives, such as the door-knocker campaign ahead of St. Patrick’s Day in Waterloo’s university area.

Auxiliary officers receive 58 hours of initial training and additional training on the job. They must volunteer 12 hours a month.

Auxiliary co-ordinator Const. Ron Nichols said Saggi’s application stood out when he saw it because of his experience working with customs and border issues in England.

“Before I met him, I thought he was an ideal candidate,” he said.

Saggi said the police accommodated him with his turban. He wears the unit’s stripes and police badge on his blue turban.

IAN STEWART SPECIAL TO THE WATERLOO REGION RECORD Waterloo Regional Police auxillary officer Iqwal “Bally” Singh Saggi directs traffic on Blair Road in Cambridge during the Cambridge Mill Race on Sunday.