A Pakistani-American police officer has been selected to head the volunteer force of the New York Police Department.
Nasir Saleem, a 30-year-old New York police veteran, became the first Pakistani and Muslim to be appointed assistant deputy director of the force of nearly 5,000 people.
The volunteer force serves in the city’s neighborhoods as the "eyes and ears” of regular police through foot patrols, vehicles and bicycles.
"It’s a great honor […] I am speechless I dedicate my new title to Pakistan, "Saleem said speaking to reporters after taking an oath on Tuesday.
Saleem was included in his new assignment at a ceremony where senior police officers and members of the Pakistani community were present. Captain Adeel Rana and Lieutenant Zaigham Abbas, fellow Pakistani-American police officers, placed badges on Saleem’s uniform.
On Twitter, the Patrol Chief of the New York Police Department, Fausto Pichardo, said that "28 years and 14,000 hours of Saleem do not go unnoticed.”
Auxiliary police officers are trained to observe and report on the conditions required by regular police services, assisting in non-compliance and non-dangerous tasks.
Source: dawn