Proposal to rename Houston tollway after slain Sikh cop
HOUSTON :Community leaders in Houston are working towards establishing a permanent memorial to honour slain Indian-American police officer Sandeep Singh Dhaliwal, who was shot dead on duty during a traffic stop.
Harris county commissioners court on Tuesday recommended naming a section of the Sam Houston Tollway after Dhaliwal.
The court members unanimously approved the request made by precinct 2 commissioner Adrian Garcia to rename the section of the roadway between Texas 249 and US 290 as the Deputy Sandeep S Dhaliwal Memorial Tollway.
However, such a request would have to be approved by the Texas department of transportation, which will review and provide final approval to the resolution.
Welcoming the recommendation, Indo-American Chamber of Commerce Greater Houston (IACCGH) founding secretary Jagdip Ahluwalia and its president Swapan Dhairyawan said that this will be a fitting memorial for honouring the Indian-American hero.
Dhaliwal, 42, was the first Sikh sheriff’s deputy in Harris county with a population of over 10,000 Sikhs. He made national headlines when he was allowed to grow a beard and wear a turban on the job.
He was gunned down in September in the town of Cypress after pulling over a vehicle for running a stop sign.
In October, Garcia had also proposed to rename the downtown Houston criminal courthouse after Dhaliwal. However, the idea was opposed by a group of lawyers who argued that naming a criminal justice building after a slain police officer could inappropriately prejudice jurors in cases involving police.
Lacking support from his colleagues, Garcia had withdrawn the proposal.
Earlier this month, Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher introduced a legislation in the US Congress to name a post office in Houston after Dhaliwal.