Waterloo Regions This Decision May Not Go Down Well With The Locals
Waterloo Region police officers allowed to wear the hijab
If a female officer with Waterloo Regional Police wants to wear a hijab, the service’s procedures allow her to.
Police Chief Bryan Larkin said current procedures allow for an approved head covering often worn by Muslim women.
Although the Waterloo Regional Police procedure allowed for modifications to the uniform, it did not specifically refer to religious head coverings such as a hijab or turban.
But it does now, said Sgt. Julie Sudds, the service’s newly minted inclusion and equity officer.
“We want to remove any potential barriers to employment with the Waterloo Regional Police Service. We want to be an inclusive employer,” she said.
Sudds said adding the words hijab, turban and other religious coverings ensures that the policy is clear.
She said the previous procedure allowed the uniform to be altered to meet general human rights protocols.
The issue came to light recently when a Muslim woman who is an officer with Ottawa Police Service said a police policy allowing women to wear the hijab would encourage more young women to join the service.
Ottawa Police Chief Charles Bordeleau thanked the officer in a tweet for her suggestion and said he would draft a policy to include the word hijab in the service’s policy.
Bordeleau said the hijab is acceptable, but he wants the service’s cultural and religious inclusion policy to be more specific and to ensure from a safety perspective that an officer’s attire is appropriate for the job.
The situation came to our attention and we made a decision,” Sudds said. “That’s the right thing to do.”
Fauzia Mazhar, a member of the Coalition of Muslim Women of Kitchener Waterloo, said she’s glad to hear that a woman covering her head isn’t deterred from becoming a police officer.
“I don’t think it would be a problem in a police service anywhere in Canada other than Quebec,” she said.
Mazhar was referring to the controversy surrounding legislation in Quebec known as Bill 62 that requires women to remove face veils when receiving public services. The face veils are known as niqabs and cover the face except for the eyes.
Mazhar said that when it comes to scarves, there are now many that are specifically designed for athletes and women working in policing that meet safety standards.
“The technical and safety side is now taken care of, so what is left?” she said
Source : Therecord
