July 30, 2026 (Sacramento, California) — The Sikh Coalition is pleased to share that the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (CalOES) has formally announced that their new training seminar on transnational repression (TNR) is now available to state and local law enforcement agencies.
As a reminder, this training was promised in a message from California Governor Gavin Newsom when he vetoed SB 509 in October of 2025; SB 509 would have required the development of such a training on TNR by law. While the Sikh Coalition did not collaborate with CalOES on the content of this seminar—no community-based organization was permitted to do so, in order to ensure that it meets objective standards—we have been in touch with CalOES over the past year to stay informed about their progress.
In accordance with a course outline released last year, our understanding is that Indian TNR against the Sikh community is a specific ‘case study’ within this seminar. We further understand that the seminar is certified by the California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training, and that officers throughout the state will be incentivized to take it because it will be part of a wider certificate on counterterrorism training.
In the weeks ahead, the Sikh Coalition will be working closely with California gurdwarae and sangat leaders to ensure that this new resource reaches officers in jurisdictions with large Sikh populations. Our goal will be to help these populations connect with their local law enforcement agencies and encourage their officers to attend this seminar. If you live in California and are interested in participating in this effort, please let us know by replying to this email with your name, gurdwara, and city. A member of our team will be in touch soon.
As always, the Sikh Coalition urges you to practice your faith fearlessly.