Compelling Calgarians: Paban Dhaliwal

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Teaching the exuberant Indian dance of bhangra to junior high kids may not be the first image that comes to mind when picturing the talents of an esteemed Calgary police officer.

But Sgt. Paban Dhaliwal’s success helping at-risk youth — including that after-school dance club, a high school wrestling club and anti-gang programs — has earned him honours during his 19-year Calgary Police Service career.

In 2022, he was named a Mount Royal University Outstanding Alumni for his community mentorship. In 2021, he earned a Police Chief’s Award for his career-long dedication to community policing, crime prevention and inspiring youth, and an Alberta Community Justice award for building stronger community ties preventing drug, violence and gang activity.

For Dhaliwal, who last May was promoted to sergeant in northeast’s Division 5, his commitment to community on and off the job comes from his religion’s emphasis on giving back.

“No other career for me, fit with my Sikhism, with the police service’s protection of others. Even at the start, with families coming from different countries where police were corrupt, ours was seen as part of the community that helps.”

Dhaliwal, 43, was born and grew up in Crowsnest Pass, moving to Calgary in Grade 10.

His CPS work has included patrol and school resource officer, probation services liaison and recruitment. He’s most proud seeing his work’s influence on youth. “My biggest success is their success,” Dhaliwal says of seeing kids turn their lives around — some even joining law enforcement.

The programs give young people a sense of belonging and connection, of being part of a family that, “if they don’t have, they seek,” in things like gangs.

In 2019, Calgary’s South Asian community protested a lack of police response to drug and gang violence; Dhaliwal recruited other South Asian officers to help set up anti-gang programs.

This year, the father of two leads a team of officers in a division with strong ties to its diverse community.

For Dhaliwal, the key is “treating each person individually, with no preconceptions.”

This year, like others, “I will be myself and be out there.”