- Wednesday, May 07, 2025
By: Shubham Ghosh
A POST office in West Houston in the American state of Texas has been renamed after Sandeep Singh Dhaliwal, an Indian-American Sikh police officer who died after being shot multiple times from behind while doing his duty in September 2019.
Dhaliwal, who was the Harris County sheriff’s deputy and a father of three, met the tragic end during a traffic stop. He was 42 then. In 2015, he made the national headlines by becoming the first police officer in Texas to serve while keeping his Sikh articles of faith, including a turban and beard.
“Our fallen brother Deputy Sandeep Singh Dhaliwal was honoured by renaming a postal office in west Harris County in his memory. We are grateful to the Texas delegation, Harris County Commissioners Court, United States Postal Office, & the Sikh community for honoring him,” the sheriff’s office said in a tweet on Wednesday (6).
On Tuesday (5), Houston’s Sikh community and local elected officials and members of the law enforcement gathered at a ceremony at 315 Addicks-Howell Road to dedicate the “Deputy Sandeep Singh Dhaliwal Post Office”.
“I am honoured to play a role in commemorating Deputy Dhaliwal’s remarkable life of selfless service,” said Democratic Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher, who brought the renaming legislation to the US House of Representatives.
“He represented the very best of our community: he worked for equality, connection, and community through his life of service to others. I was glad to work with a bipartisan delegation, our community partners, and those in the Sikh community, to pass legislation to rename this building the Deputy Sandeep Singh Dhaliwal Post Office,” Fletcher said.
Harris County sheriff Ed Gonzalez said the “remarkable commemoration” serves as a permanent reminder of Dhaliwal’s “lasting contributions to our community”.
“This will serve as a permanent reminder of Deputy Dhaliwal’s service, sacrifice, and example to us all. We are thankful to Congresswoman Fletcher and the entire Texas delegation for honouring a committed public servant who touched countless lives and served as a trailblazer. He was a true hero who inspired everyone to love their neighbours,” he added.
According to the sheriff, Dhaliwal joined the agency as a detention officer in 2009 after feeling compelled to bridge the gap between law enforcement and the Sikh community. He later became a patrol deputy, leading the way for other Sikhs to serve with the Harris County Sheriff’s Office.
“I’m thankful that visitors to the newly renamed post office will see his name and be encouraged to learn how special he was,” said Commissioner Adrian Garcia, who originally hired Dhaliwal in his capacity as the previous sheriff of Harris County.
“Deputy Dhaliwal made the ultimate sacrifice to protect us, and he will never be forgotten. I am thankful to Representative Fletcher and the United States Postal Service for this important recognition. Sandeep lived his life with the purpose to spread dignity and respect to all he came in contact with, and I am hopeful that the Deputy Sandeep Singh Dhaliwal Post Office will inspire all who visit to follow in Sandeep’s example,” Garcia said.
Dhaliwal’s father Pyara Singh Dhaliwal expressed gratitude to the people of Houston for their support.
“Since my son was taken from our family in a senseless act of violence, we have received an outpouring of support and love from the greater Houston community. We are so grateful and so honoured that Sandeep is being memorialised in this way—forever becoming a part of the city that he served faithfully both in and out of uniform,” he said.
US Postal Service District Director Julie Wilbert, however, said renaming a post office is reserved for a select group of individuals.
