Maha Sukkar

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Maha Sukkar is an Australian police officer in Victoria. [1] Sukkar was the first Australian police officer permitted to wear a traditional Muslim hijab as part of her official police uniform when she became a Victoria Police officer in 2004. [2] [3] She graduated from the Victoria Police Academy using the Qur'an to swear the oath to the Victoria Police before receiving her badge from commissioner Christine Nixon. [4]

Law enforcement in Australia is one of the three major components of the country's justice system, along with courts and corrections. There are law enforcement officers employed by all three levels of government – federal, state / territory, and local.

Victoria (Australia) State in Australia

Victoria is a state in south-eastern Australia. Victoria is Australia's smallest mainland state and its second-most populous state overall, making it the most densely populated state overall. Most of its population lives concentrated in the area surrounding Port Phillip Bay, which includes the metropolitan area of its state capital and largest city, Melbourne, Australia's second-largest city. Victoria is bordered by Bass Strait and Tasmania to the south, New South Wales to the north, the Tasman Sea to the east, and South Australia to the west.

Muslims Adherents of Islam

Muslims are people who follow or practice Islam, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion. Muslims consider the Quran, their holy book, to be the verbatim word of God as revealed to the Islamic prophet and messenger Muhammad. The majority of Muslims also follow the teachings and practices of Muhammad (sunnah) as recorded in traditional accounts (hadith). "Muslim" is an Arabic word meaning "submitter".

Sukkar is the founder of the Victoria Police Muslim Association. [1] Her current police rank is Sergeant and she works at the police academy in Victoria. [4] At the Australian Muslim Achievement Awards in 2009, Sukkar was named one of the "Australian Muslim Women of the Year". [1] The Australasian Council for Women in Policing awarded Sukkar a bravery award in 2010. [1]

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In 2018, Sukkar was added to the Victorian Honour Roll of Women. [5] A post on the Victoria Police Facebook page about Sukkar's induction onto the Honour Roll of Women triggered a series of threatening, racist and sexist comments. [6] Commenting about the incident, Sukkar said, while she believes in freedom of speech, a line must be drawn when it comes to people encouraging physical attacks on her. [6]

The Victorian Honour Roll of Women was established in 2001 to recognise the achievements of women from the Australian state of Victoria. The Honour Roll was established as part of the celebrations of Victoria's Centenary of Federation.

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On 13 June 2019, she was awarded the Australian Police Medal (APM). In October 2019 she was named one of The Australian Financial Review's 100 Women of Influence in the Diversity and Inclusion category. [7]

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 (19 March 2018) Senior Constable Maha Sukkar, Australasian Council of Women in Policing. Accessed 13 November 2018.
  2. ↑ (26 November 2004) Simpson, Natasha Policewoman given uniform variation to wear hijab, PM , ABC Radio. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
  3. ↑ (27 November 2004) Making hijab part of Victoria police uniform, The Age . Retrieved 13 November 2018.
  4. 1 2 Dinham, Abby (18 August 2017) 'Don't call me a pioneer!' - Australia's first hijab-wearing officer changing perceptions, SBS News . Retrieved 13 November 2018.
  5. ↑ Leading Senior Constable Maha Sukkar, Victorian Honour Roll of Women, Victorian Government. Accessed 13 November 2018.
  6. 1 2 Prytz, Anna (22 March 2018) 'There's a line to draw' : Muslim officer rises above online abuse, The Age. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
  7. ↑ "AFR's 11 most influential women revealed". Australian Financial Review. 2019-10-22. Retrieved 2019-10-23.
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