HPD Gives Supervisor Award to Harkeert Singh
After receiving the Supervisor of 2015 Award, Harkeert Singh posed with HPD Chief Charles McClelland and Mayor Annise Parker
By Jawahar Malhotra
HOUSTON: In honor of National Police Week (May 8 through 15), the Houston Police Department hosted its Police Week Heroes Luncheon on May 11 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel downtown. Police officers mingled with Houston Police Foundation board members to recognize 32 employees for their contributions and sacrifice.
The emcee for the patriotic program was former KTRH TV news anchor Dave Ward, with the national anthem sung by Melissa Salvidar Hamilton and an invocation by Stephen Daniel. HPF Board Chairman Tilman Fertitta expressed his gratitude to the honorees, whose names were called out and had their pictures taken with HPD Chief Charles McClelland and Mayor Annise Parker. A fundraiser to purchase firearms lockers netted $200,000 for the luncheon.
Among those receiving recognition was an Indian American who had come up through the ranks. The HPD Civilian Supervisor of the Year 2015 was awarded to Harkeert Singh, 44, who had come to the Bayou City 17 years earlier with a dream and a desire to advance. He joined HPD in March 2000 and had been recognized for his dedicated hard work. He was promoted to Office Supervisor in June 2005.
Singh is originally from village Lambra in the Hoshiarpur district of Punjab, but was raised in New Delhi by his parents Jagjit Singh and Mohinder Kaur, finishing high school in Lajpat Nagar there. He went to Deshbandu College in Kalkajee, New Delhi and then immigrated to the US. He worked part-time for a short duration as a Graphic Artist for Indo American News in 1999 before moving on.
Harkeert Singh is married to Rajinder Kaur and has two boys, Aushmeet and Sukhmeet. “He has been an exceptional leader in the department,” said long-time HPD officer and Asian community liaison Muzaffar Siddiqi.