DIVERSITY & INCLUSION
battle between the goddess Durga and the demon Mahishasura. Each day is devoted to one of Durga’s incarnations. On the tenth day, Durga’s idol is immersed in the holy water after performing an act of worship, known as “pooja”. During the festival, people worship the goddess in three forms, and try to enhance their physical, mental and spiritual practice. The festival is observed for different reasons and celebrated differently in various parts of the Indian subcontinent. However, in many parts of India, people celebrate by playing Dandiya (traditional dancing with sticks), Garba (folk dance), singing hymns, and offering prayers through worship. During the celebration of nine nights, community members worship and spread the message of kindness and social service by collecting donations for needy people and local food banks. Women wear colourful Indian outfits, and it is celebrated by all Hindus, as it has a special significance leading up to Diwali. In 2018, I introduced the festival to
the West Yorkshire Police Constabulary, inviting then-Chief Constable Dee Collins. She wore the traditional Indian saree and took part in festivities along with many other members of the force. The attendance of West Yorkshire Police officers was a pleasant surprise for Navratri revellers. Community members were impressed to see how the West Yorkshire Police team was willing to embrace their diverse culture. Following the success of the initiative in 2018, West Yorkshire Police attendance at Navratri festivities has become an annual affair. More than 1,000 colleagues from the force have attended since we started hosting the event. It has become a noteworthy and immersive community cohesion event for the force, with our current Chief Constable
John Robins supporting the event since the pandemic. He attends the festivities, participating in the dancing with community members every year. Other regular attendees include past and present Police
who they are.
“The Indian community required more representation across the force to connect the communities we serve and protect”
and Crime Commissioners, community leaders, and members of the Chief Officers’ Team and Senior Leaders’ Team. Even during the pandemic, which was a challenging time for everyone, particularly elderly community members, we continued with the festivities. Instead of in-person events, we delivered the event virtually over Zoom. This meant we didn’t break the tradition and members could participate in the festivities from the comfort and safety of their living rooms during lockdown. The integration and engagement initiative with West Yorkshire Police has been well received. Now, colleagues in other forces and organisations across the UK are aiming to replicate the initiative in their communities.
Through these initiatives, I endeavour to
bring to the constabulary a diverse cultural background, as well as life experiences and different skillsets to provide an alternative vision on how to get things done. Diversity is recognising, respecting and celebrating each other’s differences across all protected characteristics. For me, diversity means togetherness. The more diverse we are, the more together we are, allowing for an empowered culture of creativity and innovation. As I look forward, I want to continue to help and guide everyone in the force towards fairness. We must ensure that individuals, or groups of individuals, are not treated less favourably because of
Over the past six years, I’m proud to be an ambassador for the West Yorkshire Police force. This means I promote the organisation and its efforts in diversity, equality and inclusion by helping create an environment where everyone feels welcome and valued. This is done through recruitment, staff association groups, and
our cultural events. Understanding the community we serve is so important to me. As a single point of contact for the Hindu community, I will continue to work with passion. I am proud to be at the forefront of introducing the Hindu community and culture to the force.
A MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR
“The Hindu community is well established with West Yorkshire. It’s incredibly important that we encourage community engagement, so we can break down any barriers that are there. Most communities only get to see police officers when they have been the victim of crime. This is why Dharmesh’s good work in promoting the professionalism of our colleagues and giving the community confidence and awareness of their community officers is so important. I believe the festival of Navratri in October epitomises what all police officers do daily, which is to ensure that good wins over evil. “
Craig Nicholls QGM, Chair West Yorkshire Police Federation
33 | POLICE | APRIL 2023
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52
