WINDSOR (Canada): The city's first Sikh cop was sworn his oaths for the Windsor Police Service on December 13,2007. An Indian immigrant, 32-year-old Surjeet Singh Gill was one of 10 new constables who officially joined the force in a ceremony at the Ontario Court of Justice building.

"I feel on top of the world right now that I'm representing my community," Gill said. "I will do anything I can to help more people from my community, since Windsor is the fourth most diverse city in the country. And I think Windsor police needs more people from minority groups, so they can represent their own communities."

Surjeet Singh Gill became the first Seik to join the ranks of the Windsor Police Services during a swearing-in ceremony Thursday.

Gill said he arrived in Windsor just three years ago to join his wife, who is a Canadian citizen.

"I was a police officer in India, and I was born and raised in a family of police officers," Gill said. "Ever since I came here, I had it in my mind that I would go for it one day... By the grace of God, I got into the Windsor Police Service, and I'm proud to be a part of this organization."

The other officers who received their badges were: Heather McPhee, Bradley Snyder, Leah McFadden, Albert Frederick, Robert Brisco, Mark Kloppenburg, Warren Braganza, Fady Feghali, and Issaam Mohamad Salame.

Salame, a 24-year-old native of Saudi Arabia, said it's important for him to reach out to Windsor's Muslim community, but also every community in the city, "whether Muslim, Catholic, Christian, Jewish."

Salame said he's not aware of many Muslim police officers in Windsor, and he hopes his presence will encourage more Muslims to join.

Dalson Chen, Windsor Star