GALT, CA (MPG) - In a heartfelt ceremony attended by family, fellow officers and community members, the Galt Police Department unveiled a memorial bust honoring Officer Harminder Grewal, who tragically lost his life in the line of duty in 2021. 

The solemn but well-attended event was held outside the department headquarters on Thursday, Feb. 20, and served as a tribute to Grewal’s memory, dedication and sacrifice. The bust is positioned prominently in front of the Galt Police Department. 

Grewal died on Aug. 21, 2021, a few days after a pickup truck crossed the median on Highway 99 and collided head-on with his patrol car. He and his partner were responding to assist with evacuation orders for the Caldor Fire when the crash occurred. Grewal suffered critical injuries and succumbed days later, leaving behind a grieving department and community. 

Galt Police Chief Brian Kalinowski spoke at the ceremony, reflecting on Grewal’s impact and the hole that was left in the department after his untimely death. 

“It was a great turnout,” Kalinowski said. “I will tell you that the staff and Adan from Romo Studios worked tirelessly to get this final product here and it looks amazing.”

“We do enough work on the day to day to just run the business, and when you have a tragedy like this and all the things you have to produce to properly pay tribute to the loss of an officer’s life it can be taxing on the staff,” he added. “The staff has been A-plus and really worked hard to make this happen. I couldn’t be prouder of the organization and the community to make this possible for the family.” 

Kalinowski described Grewal as a dedicated officer with an infectious and upstanding demeanor, who was beloved by his fellow law enforcement officers at the department. 

Grewal’s family, including his father, Gurdeep Grewal, and his mother, Jaswinder Grewal, and siblings attended the unveiling. His sister Navdeep Sindhu offered a heartfelt memorial, fighting back tears as she spoke on Harminder and his life. She was shouldered by her brother Jasdeep Grewal.

“I thank the community so much because they came to show support for my brother,” Sindhu said after the memorial. “We are happy and glad that they joined us. Without them we are nothing, because if they give us support that is why we have (this memorial).”

The event was attended by members of the New York Police Department, the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office, the Cosumnes Community Services District, Riverside Police Department and the West Sacramento Police Department.

The memorial bust, a bronze likeness of Grewal, now stands as a symbol of his service. The bust was created by Adan Romo of Romo Studios in Midtown Sacramento. Romo said he was adamant about finding a way to squeeze the memorial into his busy schedule after learning Harminder Grewal’s story.

“I would have said no to any other project, but this project just resonated with me,” Romo said. “Both the family and the city of Galt, and the individual that officer Grewal was.”

Local officials, including Vice Mayor Paul Sandhu and city council members, praised Grewal’s commitment to public service. Mayor Shawn Farmer could not attend due to a scheduling conflict but sent his condolences.

“We will never forget this ultimate sacrifice and thank you to all who made this possible,” Sandhu said. 

Council member Tim Reed said while he didn’t know Grewal, the stories that he has heard about the officer made him wish he did. 

“It was great to see everyone come together for this, but hopefully, knock on wood, this never happens again,” Reed said.