Muslim policewoman refuses to shake chief's hand

[GAP]

Muslim policewoman refuses to shake chief's hand
TARIQ PANJA  Associated Press
Article Link

LONDON — Police said Sunday that a Muslim woman officer had refused to shake hands with London's police chief during a graduation ceremony last month due to her religious beliefs, fanning a debate in Britain over the assimilation of Muslims into society.

The woman — whose identity was not revealed — asked to be excused from the customary handshake with Metropolitan Police Commissioner Ian Blair during the ceremony, saying her faith prohibited her from touching a man other than her husband or a close relative.

Commissioner Blair immediately questioned the validity of her request, said a Metropolitan Police spokeswoman, speaking on condition of anonymity in keeping with force policy.

“Ordinarily the (police force) would not tolerate such requests. This request was only granted ... to ensure the smooth running of what is one of the most important events in an officer's career,” the spokeswoman said.

She said the incident was still being looked into by the force, but she declined to say whether the officer could face punishment.

Muslim groups defended the police officer who refused to shake the commissioner's hand, saying her beliefs would not affect how she carried out her job and calling for greater understanding of different cultures.

Massoud Shadjareh, chairman of the London-based Islamic Human Rights Commission, said the “overwhelming majority” of practising Muslims avoid physical contact with members of the opposite sex unless they are closely related. But he added that those employed as police officers or doctors are routinely exempt from the rule in order to fulfill their duties.
End

 

[Sig_Des]

How in the hell is she supposed to do her job.

She'll only police women? And didn't she have to practice take-downs and arrests during her training?

She's become a police officer...She'll need to touch things much worse than men.

GAH

 

[DiverDownDee]

Hmmmm .. How would she effecively arrest male individuals? .. Interesting

:threat:

 

[211RadOp]

Massoud Shadjareh, chairman of the London-based Islamic Human Rights Commission, said the “overwhelming majority” of practising Muslims avoid physical contact with members of the opposite sex unless they are closely related. But he added that those employed as police officers or doctors are routinely exempt from the rule in order to fulfill their duties.End

I think this answers it.

 

[Sig_Des]

I think this answers it.

It would, as it says it's a routine exemption. But IF she's taken that exemption, the whole shaking of the Chiefs hand, well, that just seems fickle to me.

Either you commit yourself, and have your exemption, or get out of the job.

 

[Journeyman]

But he added that those employed as police officers or doctors are routinely exempt from the rule in order to fulfill their duties

I think this answers it.

No it doesn't - - not even remotely.
The graduation was a ceremonial duty of those police members. She is already choosing which "duties" she will fulfill.

I have no heartache with those who choose a different path; if you don't like the conditions of employment, pick something else. I do, however, feel nothing but pity for her partner - - never knowing when this new police officer will decide not to fight crime/back her partner due to the precedence of a supposedly contrary belief.

 

[geo]

well... good chance this will be one very short career in the Police force.

 

[211RadOp]

Journeyman,

My response was with regards to the questions posed by Sig_Des and Canadian MP. As the training requirements and the actuall arresting of people are part of her job, she would be exempt. Shaking hands with the Chief of Police, which can be construed as a cerimonial duty, has nothing to do with the actual practice of training or arresting people.

I never said I agreed with her decision not to shake his hand, I was pointing out the part of the news article that answered the question posed by these two individuals.

 

[beach_bum]

Makes me questions how she made it through the recruiting selection.  This MUST have come up during the interview.  Yet they still decided to enrol her?   ???

In response to 211RadOp.  There is more to a Police Officer's job than just arresting people.

 

[Sig_Des]

In 211's Defense, I was not very clear in my original post on the matter.

I understand that the article states that certain people can receive the routine exemption, and had read that in the article. The article though, does not state wether she took said exemption. What she did in her training.

I also believe that if she did take such an exemption, it should apply to all her duties, including those ceremonial ones. Policing does just involve more than arrests, and I am sure that there will be situations were non-violent physical contact is required.

I'd like to hear from some of the LEO's on the board on the matter.

 

[geo]

makes you wonder how she would come with goodwill visits to certain neighborhoods.  Refusing to offer a handshake is not a good thing

 

[niner domestic]

Geo: You got me thinking, I work with police officers all day long and I don't recall any of them shaking hands much with the public.  I'll have to pay attention tomorrow to see if I am recalling correctly.  As well, my mum was a Mountie and I don't recall her shaking hands much either.  Her reason was threefold, she didn't want some tough bruiser of an idiot to try and break her hand (which I can appreciate as I have quite often had an idiot or two try to give me a death grip), and being that close with one hand occupied put her at a slight disadvantage should someone try to grab her weapons and usually she was far too busy to pay attention to the niceties of a polite society to stop and shake hands.  Most of the time when she was doing goodwill stuff, she'd just nod and keep her hands to herself especially if she was armed. 

I just don't see the shaking hands to be a big deal as far as her job is concerned and I would say the same about a male cop as well. 

 

[dynaglide]

Makes me questions how she made it through the recruiting selection.  This MUST have come up during the interview.  Yet they still decided to enrol her?   ???

In response to 211RadOp.  There is more to a Police Officer's job than just arresting people.

Maybe the decision came from higher?...  Although I know that filling quotas based on race, gender etc.  would be totally unheard of... :

 

[zipperhead_cop]

By and large, I don't shake hands either.  More of a germ thing, though.  But to not shake a colleagues hand?  That is crap. 
So she is saying she is too religious to touch another man?  So is she too religious to wear the uniform?  Strap the belt over the burka and go to it?  And I though the religion was not big on women's education?  Going to be a tough go at police college.  What about walking behind men?  So if she has a male partner, she won't ever be up with him on a call?  Guess driving the cruiser is out too, and she will look kind of funny riding around in the back seat. 
And if she can make allowances for all those restrictions, then why not show basic courtesy to her Chief?  I am highly confident she could have achieved the same thing with use of gloves, or special permission from her husband or ANYTHING other than play the race card and disrespect the Service. 
I seem to recall the stink about the first Sikh on TPS and wearing his turban.  What ended up getting the feathers to settle was that he was a decent guy and got along with people.  This one here doesn't seem to be too concerned with that. 
Just out of curiosity:

Most of the time when she was doing goodwill stuff, she'd just nod and keep her hands to herself especially if she was armed. 

What sort of "goodwill stuff" did the Canadian Cowboys have your mom doing while she had a weapon at hand? 

 

[geo]

well, I accept 9Ds comments on the handshake thing BUT, what is she going to do if she is paired with a man - muslim or otherwise?

 

[Thompson_JM]

sounds like someone is just trying to get their 15 minutes of fame..... taking a stand on a useless platform too.....

sheesh.... i could care less about turbans on cops, or soldiers.... but this is just plain stupid. I can see her career being a less then stellar one.


cheers.
Tommy

 

[zipperhead_cop]

sheesh.... i could care less about turbans on cops, or soldiers.... but this is just plain stupid. I can see her career being a less then stellar one.

Yeah, should be a real crowd pleaser when she is in a foot chase but has to break it off to get out the prayer mat and face towards Mecca.  :

 

[IN HOC SIGNO]

The handshake thing. I was once told by a policeman that they don't do it much when in uniform as it might imply that the cop has taken a favour or is overly familiar with the person he/she is shaking hands with. I'm not saying it well but you get my drift.
I too wonder how she is going to function in a predominately male profession. She has taken the decision to be non-traditional in working outside the home I'm wondering which other customs she's going to pick and choose.
My bro in law (retired OPP Staff Sgt) reports that when he was a constable in Marathon ON he had to break up bar fights most Fri and Sat nights in which he was assaulted and spit upon...how's she going to get over that kind of contact with "strange males?" ???

 

[GO!!!]

The handshake thing. I was once told by a policeman that they don't do it much when in uniform as it might imply that the cop has taken a favour or is overly familiar with the person he/she is shaking hands with. I'm not saying it well but you get my drift.

Not really.

When you are a police officer, and the Chief wants to shake your hand as part of a ceremony, that's part of your job, it is not showing favor. As to the whole familiarity thing - I watched the MND shake a half dozen Corporal's hands at a ceremony a couple of days ago - overly familiar or cultural standard greeting?

This is a joke. What is she going to do when she has to break up a bar brawl? "I could'nt go into the bar because I would not want to be seen in a place of alcohol, and I could'nt help my partner when he was being swarmed by that Jamaican gang, because my religion forbids contact with another man"

Can we expect a similar act (and make no mistake, it is an act) here?

This person is trying to launch a public career with a carefully planned PR move, a la Francisco Juarez, specifically designed to discredit the institution she was working for, force public debate in which all dissenters could be labelled racists, and make the individual in question a household name.

 

[geo]

Hmmm.... wonder what kind of headdress this constable has chosen to wear.
Bobby helmet
Forage cap
Baseball cap
Chador
Chador & Veil (yes I know that there is a name for it but.........)
Burkha

This has pert much no choice but to go to silly places no one wants to go.