The Register® — Biting the hand that feeds IT

Feeds

Sikh coppers request bulletproof turbans

'Ballistic material' would allow firearms unit role

Ensure Ease of Recovery with Asigra’s Agentless Software

Sikh police officers are asking for "special bulletproof turbans" which would allow them to serve in firearms units, the Guardian reports.

There are around 2,000 Sikhs in the police force, but they're unable to pack a piece since existing safety helmets don't fit over their traditional headgear. Accordingly, the recently-formed British Police Sikh Association is pressing the Home Office to address the matter.

The association's vice-chairman, inspector Gian Singh Chahal, explained to Police Review: "Sikh officers have been prohibited from becoming firearms officers because our religion does not allow us to remove the turban.

"There has been some research done into producing a ballistic material [for turbans]. We would like to follow any opportunity where we could manufacture a ballistic product, made out of a synthetic fibre, that would ensure a certain degree of protection, so Sikh police officers could take part in these roles."

He stressed: "I think there needs to be a recognition from the Home Office that would allow Sikh officers to carry out these roles. I think the will is there from chief constables but perhaps not yet from the Home Office." ®

Regcast training : Hyper-V 3.0, VM high availability and disaster recovery

Latest Comments

There is already a solution

In the forces, Sikhs have to wear helmets but in a compatible manner.

See page 11, section 0126 d. of this document:

http://www.raf.mod.uk/rafcms/mediafiles/96453EF0_ABE4_1A8E_F5DFFE866A594026.pdf

0
0
Anonymous Coward

@ Dogbyte

Yep, that'll mean the helmets from SpaceBalls :-)

0
0

It wouldn't be a turban....

It would be a "turban-like headpiece" -- a real turban is made from a folded strip of cloth, something that's not going to work if its made from Kevlar (and I doubt that the result would be bulletproof). I suppose you could also stick a turban to the outside of a standard ballistic helmet but the result would resemble a Christmas cracker hat... it would look really silly.

I'm afraid the Sikhs are going to have to make some choices here. After all, they don't have to be firearms officers, its a choice (just like they don't have to do traffic duty on a motorcycle). The turban's only there to manage your hair after all -- its the hair that's important, not the headdress.

0
0

More from The Register

Reg hack prepares to live off wondergloop Soylent
Our man puts eating people powder Food 2.0 to the test
ROBOT COW teaches Saudi kids where milk comes from
Udderly ridiculous bovine intervention is beyond the pail
 breaking news
Who's to be the next Dr Who? Sherlock beats Maurice - says you
Cumberbatch EXTERMINATES Ayoade, Atkinson, Pegg - and Tilda Swinton
Chewbacca held up by TSA stormtroopers for having light sabre
'Mrauuun' 'Right, Chewie, giant man do need giant cane'
 breaking news
I told you I'd be back: Arnie set for another career revival
Don't worry voters, Schwarzenegger's talking about Terminator 5
Waving an Eye-of-Sauron pulsating mock cock? STOP IMMEDIATELY
Mains-powered sex aid recalled ... Ultimate O turns into ultimate OH NO
At #guardiancoffee, we can now TASTE THE FUTURE through a PRISM!
I have measured out my life in espresso spoons
Oracle's Ellison outlines plans for Hawaiian Electriclarryland
Solar-sourced eau d'Oracle the key to island revival
Soylent days and soylent nights
Food 2.0 fails the post-pub nosh test
BEYOND Marxism: What Google learned from staring Glassily at Norks
Boobs, Noobs and Juche-oriented networked facilitators