Chicago's Finest (No Irony Intended)

"Many men of the Sikh faith wear a small sword under their clothing. Orthodox Jews often refuse to move illegally parked cars on Saturdays. Outsiders may photograph statues in Buddhist temples, but not in Hindu ones.

These are some of the insights in a series of videos the Chicago Police Department uses to train its officers in dealing with non-Christians. Community leaders say the videos have substantially improved relations between various religious groups and police officers.

'This is not just a superficial thing,' said Kareem M. Irfan, chairman of the Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago. 'It has changed our community's relationship with the police to the extent that people are beginning to see the Chicago Police Department as an ally rather than an opposing force.'"
From The New York Times, January 23, 2005