Community Relations Service

     WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Community Relations Service cosponsored an Arab, Muslim, and Sikh Cultural Protocols Seminar as part of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE) Annual National Conference in Dallas, Texas on Tuesday, July 13, 2004 from 3:00 - 6:00 p.m. The NOBLE conference was held from July 10-15, 2004 at the Wyndham Anatole Hotel, 2200 Stemmons Freeway, in Dallas, Texas.

     CRS Director Sharee M. Freeman made opening remarks for this session, and spoke on cultural and social issues affecting the nation's Arab, Muslim, and Sikh communities. She also discussed ways in which CRS is working to increase public awareness of issues affecting these groups. In addition, CRS invited local Arab, Muslim, and Sikh community leaders and trainers to the specialized session for law enforcement executives.

     Since 2001, CRS has sponsored hundreds of community dialogues and forums to educate citizens about the Arab, Muslim, and Sikh cultures to address backlash and harassment directed at members of those communities. The seminars are designed for law enforcement and other first responders to gain a better understanding of these cultures, to develop techniques for working collectively, and to improve communication with people of Arab, Muslim, and Sikh cultures.

     CRS is a unique federal agency dedicated to preventing and resolving racial and ethnic conflicts. For more information about the Community Relations Service, a component of the U.S. Department of Justice, visit its website at www.usdoj.gov/crs. For more information about this news spotlight, contact Daryl Borgquist at (202) 305-2935.

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