Source: Sacramento Bee

http://www.sacbee.com/content/news/story/9453469p-10377510c.html

On May 28, 2004 the Sacramento Bee reported, "During a traffic stop, the driver avoids eye contact with the police officer. If the person is Muslim, the gesture isn't necessarily a sign of evasion or deceit. The person could be following religious teachings about modesty when dealing with someone of the opposite sex. 'It's a sign of respect,' said Tamer Ahmed, an executive committee member of the Sacramento Valley chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations. Such information was relayed during a presentation on American Muslims and Islam that CAIR, a Muslim civil rights organization, provided to Elk Grove police supervisors Thursday afternoon. Elk Grove is the first law enforcement agency in the Sacramento region to which the Sacramento Valley chapter has provided diversity training. The training is scheduled to be given to the Sacramento Police Department's graduating recruits next month. There also is discussion about having patrol officers in the Sacramento and Elk Grove police departments go through the seminar. With more than 50,000 Muslims living in the greater Sacramento area, law enforcement needs to be aware and sensitive to what Islam is, and to the beliefs and customs. The information can help police when they interact with Muslims, Ahmed said."