As an internal investigation continues at the Harris County, Texas, Sherriff’s Office, elected officials apologized to a Sikh family for their unnecessary arrest by deputies investigating a burglary at their home, and reached out to the community.

Harris County Judge Edward Emmett met Monday morning with Tagore family members and local gurdwara representatives to apologize for the actions of the deputies. On Sunday, Harris County Sheriff-elect Adrian Garcia visited the Sikh Center of Houston to also apologize to the family and to calm the sentiments of the 550 members of the sangat.

Both promised that the officers involved would be justly disciplined and that the sheriff’s department would use cultural sensitivity training to prevent future conflicts.

Sheriff Tommy Thomas has not made a public statement about the incident. Lt. John Legg, spokesman for the sheriff’s office, said he is waiting for the results of the investigation.

“The Sheriff is always concerned when citizens feel mistreated,” Legg said. “It’s hard to predict how long the investigation will take, but I can tell you that I have spoken to the IAD (Internal Affairs Department) lieutenant (Dennis Field) who talked to the Tagore family, and progress being made.”

There is a range of possible remedies for the several deputies involved, from written reprimand to termination, Legg said. But some Sikhs are calling for their jobs.

“If the (allegations) are true, the deputies that came have lost faith and confidence of their constituents,” said Varinder ‘Bobby’ Singh, a long-time friend of Garcia’s who invited him to the gurdwara. “We want those guys fired.”

The Sikh Coalition, which said it pressed for the internal investigation, has also called for the deputies to be fired and for an apology from the sheriff’s office, the Houston Chronicle reported.

On Nov. 26, Ramandeep Singh Tagore called 911 that his parents’ house had been burglarized. When sheriff’s deputies went inside to investigate, one of the officers became alarmed by his sister, Kanwaljit Kaur’s, sheathed kirpan, she said in a video testimony.

Although Kaur offered to leave the room, the deputy pointed a Taser gun at her head and called for backup, she said in the video. Kanwaljit, Ramandeep and their parents were handcuffed and led out onto the street where they sat until a supervisor from the sheriff’s office came and ordered their release.

“We have never had a complaint in previous years with respect to the Sikh community or been advised of such a complaint,” Legg said. “I’m sure there have been complaints over the years… But this was the first” for the community.

Varinder Singh, who has lived in Houston since 1981, said the incident is emblematic of minority concerns with the sheriff’s office.

“The African American community has felt the pain for long time, the Hispanic community has felt the pain for a long time and now the Sikh community is feeling the pain,” Singh said, referring to racial profiling and cultural insensitivity.

“People are sick and tired of the same old same old,” he said. “This is beyond Sikh issue.” Singh campaigned for Garcia who will take over the sheriff’s office next month.

Singh has also done diversity training at the Houston police department for the Washington-based Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund. He, Garcia, Emmett and the sheriff’s office said they were all for the training.


Note: Top image: courtesy Sach Productions

By Anju Kaur
Sikh News Network staff journalist
anjukaur@sikhnn.com