On Friday, September 27, Harris County Sheriff's Deputy Sandeep Dhaliwal was shot and killed during a traffic stop that afternoon. Deputy Dhaliwal was a ten-year veteran with Harris County and was the first Sihk to be hired by the Sheriff's Office. He leaves behind his wife and three children, as well as his fellow officers with Harris County.
Deputy Dhaliwal had stopped a traffic violator, later found to be a wanted parole violator. According to officials, there was nothing in the initial contact which indicated the shooter was being uncooperative. As the deputy returned to his patrol car, the shooter left his own car, ran up behind the officer, and fired into the back of Deputy Dhaliwal's head. The shooter drove away, but was later apprehended by a lone deputy who confronted the shooter face-to-face. As usual in this situation, the shooter "meekly surrendered," not wanting to be hurt himself.
As a former police officer, I am aware of a couple of "danger points" in a police officer's career. These danger points are well-documented. Obviously the first year is one of the most dangerous for the new officer. Another danger peak is around the fifth year, when an officer, particularly an officer who has experienced several dangerous events while on duty, may become over confident and cut corners on officer safety. Finally, there is a documented tendency for officers with ten years or more experience to at times relax somewhat during potentially dangerous situations.
One thing that is difficult for many to understand is that a traffic stop is one of the most dangerous tasks a police officer performs. A police officer never really knows who he or she is stopping, what that person may have just done, what others in the car may be wanted for, or whether the driver or someone else in the car is waiting for an opportunity to kill the officer, for whatever reason. Just as in Deputy Dhaliwal's encounter, the "mere traffic law violator" turned out to be a wanted felon. But for reasons known only to Deputy Dhaliwal, he turned his back on the shooter and began walking toward his patrol car. This a mistake many an officer has made (myself included) but occasionally an officer pays for this mistake with his life.
This does not relieve the animal who did the shooting from his responsibility for murdering the officer. Who knows why a criminal chooses to kill an officer to temporarily escape apprehension, when the criminal knows that he will be arrested only hours, or even minutes, after he murders the officer. But this scenario plays itself out over and over across the United States each year. A criminal murders an officer because the criminal does not want to go to jail, but then surrenders only a short time later without hurting anyone. I will never understand this reasoning.
I am honored to lift up Deputy Sandeep Dhaliwal and thank him for his service. I pray the the Good Shepherd holds this family in His arms, and also comforts the many officers who have lost a brother in blue.
May God bless that Thin Blue Line up yonder, one officer stronger now.
Deputy Dhaliwal had stopped a traffic violator, later found to be a wanted parole violator. According to officials, there was nothing in the initial contact which indicated the shooter was being uncooperative. As the deputy returned to his patrol car, the shooter left his own car, ran up behind the officer, and fired into the back of Deputy Dhaliwal's head. The shooter drove away, but was later apprehended by a lone deputy who confronted the shooter face-to-face. As usual in this situation, the shooter "meekly surrendered," not wanting to be hurt himself.
As a former police officer, I am aware of a couple of "danger points" in a police officer's career. These danger points are well-documented. Obviously the first year is one of the most dangerous for the new officer. Another danger peak is around the fifth year, when an officer, particularly an officer who has experienced several dangerous events while on duty, may become over confident and cut corners on officer safety. Finally, there is a documented tendency for officers with ten years or more experience to at times relax somewhat during potentially dangerous situations.
One thing that is difficult for many to understand is that a traffic stop is one of the most dangerous tasks a police officer performs. A police officer never really knows who he or she is stopping, what that person may have just done, what others in the car may be wanted for, or whether the driver or someone else in the car is waiting for an opportunity to kill the officer, for whatever reason. Just as in Deputy Dhaliwal's encounter, the "mere traffic law violator" turned out to be a wanted felon. But for reasons known only to Deputy Dhaliwal, he turned his back on the shooter and began walking toward his patrol car. This a mistake many an officer has made (myself included) but occasionally an officer pays for this mistake with his life.
This does not relieve the animal who did the shooting from his responsibility for murdering the officer. Who knows why a criminal chooses to kill an officer to temporarily escape apprehension, when the criminal knows that he will be arrested only hours, or even minutes, after he murders the officer. But this scenario plays itself out over and over across the United States each year. A criminal murders an officer because the criminal does not want to go to jail, but then surrenders only a short time later without hurting anyone. I will never understand this reasoning.
I am honored to lift up Deputy Sandeep Dhaliwal and thank him for his service. I pray the the Good Shepherd holds this family in His arms, and also comforts the many officers who have lost a brother in blue.
May God bless that Thin Blue Line up yonder, one officer stronger now.
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