Dallas County Sheriff Lupe Valdez has said that she provided Halaal meal in Dallas county prison along with special arrangements for Sahar and Iftar for Muslim inmates in the sacred month of Ramadan.
She said this while talking to the prominent Muslim community leaders at her special 66th birthday celebration at the house of American Muslim Democratic Caucus Co-Chair Syed Fayyaz Hassan.
Talking about the enormity of issues her office confronts every day she said that Dallas county population is larger than 11 states in the union.
However, her department strives to serve each and every resident of the county with best of facilities in enforcement of law and order. She said that it is her mission to serve the county without any discrimination and prejudice with all her force of 2600 employees in her department with professionalism and high level of skills and dedication.
She said that with the help of commissioner court and Parkland hospital, her department is working on improvement in medical provisions for prison inmates.
She said that her efforts are to provide a constructive environment to inmates as they become a positive contributor to society when they go out of prison. She said that she had been elected thrice for the position of Sheriff and has provided a large number of good jobs of detention officers as she still has some open positions to fill.
She said being a detention officer is a good way to enter into law enforcement career. She encouraged all to serve as DSO, besides community members to participate Sheriff Department’s sponsored Citizen Academy program.
She said that she will encourage Muslim youth to join the detention officer’s position as a good way to boost their career. She agreed on a proposed job fair at Mecca Masjid newly constructed hall on the request of Mr. Ghulam Jangda where her department’s recruiters will guide the youth on recruitment process.
She said that she has done everything possible to ensure the human rights of all of the inmates regardless of their racial, gender and religious background. She said that all of her detention officers know this that any mistreatment to inmates is not tolerated and discipline is very strictly enforced in Dallas County prisons.
Sheriff Valdez also cut her 66th birthday cake on this occasion.
The host Syed Fayyaz Hassan, Muslim community leaders Aftab Siddiqui, Ghulam Jangda, Hadi Jawwad, Tariq Jaffery and Siraj Butt were also present on the occasion.
Mr. and Mrs. Fayyaz Hassan thanked Sheriff for her visit and appreciated her fairness and support for Muslim community especially on arrangements for Muslim inmate’s dietary provisions in Dallas prison.