Politicians should do more to calm tensions during the marching season, the police have said. It cost almost £3m to police parades last summer and the bill could be even higher this year. There are fears dissident republicans may try to cause trouble in some areas, like the Ardoyne in north Belfast. Police sources told the BBC, politicians should work harder to encourage the resolution of contentious parades and reduce the likelihood of confrontation. While they are hoping for the best, they have to prepare for the worst, which means large numbers of officers and equipment have to be deployed. The PSNI said it has the resources needed, but also said politicians should do more to defuse tensions. Senior sources have told the BBC they would like politicians in potential trouble spots like north and west Belfast, Portadown and Rasharkin, to be more proactive.
Pray: for a peaceful and tolerant approach to the marching season encouraged by local politicians. (2Jn.6)
More: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/10211009.stm
Police reassure over London Marathon
20 Apr 2013A senior Metropolitan Police officer has reassured runners and spectators that Sunday's London Marathon will go ahead as planned. Commander Christine Jones said security was being reviewed following two deadly explosions at the Boston Marathon. The public should be ‘reassured’ the police were ‘very, very well-practised’ at managing big events, she added. London Mayor Boris Johnson has also spoken to police about the possibility of extra security on the day. In Boston, at least three people are known to have been killed on Monday and more than 170 injured in blasts close to the marathon's finishing line. Sports Minister Hugh Robertson said he was ‘absolutely confident’ the London Marathon could be kept safe. London had ‘enormous experience’ of delivering major events and the UK had some of the best security professionals in the world, he told the BBC, adding: ‘This is one of those instances where the best way to show solidarity with Boston is to continue.’
Pray: for the safety of this event and any steps to disrupt it will be thwarted.(Ps.5:11b)
Police need to reclaim streets
24 Sep 2010
Police have ‘given up’ on the street and are failing to take problems caused by anti-social behaviour as seriously as victims do, a police chief says. About 45% (3.5m) of police calls relate to anti-social behaviour, but Chief Inspector of Constabulary Sir Denis O'Connor said officers did not regard it as real crime and were slow to act. He warned cutting spending on the issue would be ‘a very significant mistake’. Police chiefs say they are deeply aware of the impact of anti-social behaviour. Home Secretary Theresa May said the report was a ‘damning indictment of Labour's failure to tackle anti-social behaviour’ and the government was reviewing the tools the police needed to deal with anti-social behaviour because Asbos were ‘clearly not working’. The work of Street Pastors www.streetpastors.co.uk and Street Angels www.streetangels.org.uk/ have contributed to crime reduction in many of the areas where they serve. Pray: that the Police, together with the Church and all peace-makers, would reclaim the streets bringing law and order and God’s new life. (1Jn.5:5)
Police in the news
20 Jun 2013On Tuesday the BBC reported - The High Court ruled that London police officers who took the personal details of a woman ‘kettled’ during a trade union rally in 2011 acted unlawfully. - Gwent's police and crime commissioner said it will be three months before he appoints a new chief constable after he told the previous top officer to retire or be removed. Also on Tuesday Kent's police chief has admitted there was a ‘distortion of activity’ by the force to achieve crime statistic targets. 25% of crimes recorded as ‘no-crimes’ were wrongly classified, among them rapes and robberies. The Guardian reported nine Essex women died despite contact with Essex police, a force that had previously been the subject of highly-critical reports. On Monday the Home Office announced undercover police are to face tighter regulation following officers having sexual relationships with their targets and adopting the identities of dead children. Also on Tuesday in West Yorkshire a corrupt detective who stole enormous amounts of seized drugs to sell them back on to the streets was jailed for 23 years.
Pray: for our police force, Lord lead them not into temptation, but deliver them from evil. Amen. (Am.5:24)
More: http://www.penarthtimes.co.uk/news/10492425._/
Police Facing 'Serious Drag' On Morale
08 Jul 2013A string of scandals and budget cuts have left police morale and public confidence at an "all time low", says the Police Minister. Damien Green said recent allegations involving the improper behaviour of the police have had a "really serious drag" on serving officers as well as harming public confidence in them. Speaking to Sky News, the minister said that despite complaints by the Police Federation that cuts are harming frontline officers, crime is falling. Sir Peter Fahy, Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police, added: "I talk to my officers and they’ll say absolutely, morale is low. Yet what I see, day in day out, is officers going to extraordinary lengths, working ridiculous hours, taking personal risks to try and serve the public." Home Secretary Theresa May, said: "The vast majority of police officers are out there and they are working with integrity and honesty, and doing the job that the public wants them to do.
Pray: for all serving police officers as they undertake increasingly demanding work. (2Ti.2:15)
More: http://news.sky.com/story/1112504/police-facing-serious-drag-on-morale
Police corruption in Wales
15 Mar 2013No police officer in Wales has been prosecuted for police corruption in the last four years despite scores of complaints .In Freedom of Information responses to questions from Plaid Cymru the four Welsh police forces disclosed none of their officers ended up in court after internal inquiries found them culpable. While three of the forces went as far as disciplining officers who had allegations upheld against them, Dyfed-Powys Police failed to take any action against officers.’ Between April 2008 and December of last year they recorded 80 allegations of improper disclosure, 36 allegations of corrupt practice and 141 allegations of irregularity in evidence/perjury. Only 16 were upheld. In answer to the question about what disciplinary action or criminal prosecutions have resulted from the upheld allegations, the force replied, ‘I can confirm that there is no information held by Dyfed-Powys Police. This is as a result of the fact that none of the ‘upheld’ allegations resulted in disciplinary action or criminal prosecutions.’
Pray: that the Police would not see themselves as above the law, may they see fit to discipline officers found guilty of wrongdoing, and may all that is hidden be revealed. (Is.5:1)
Police chief warns on spending cuts
11 Aug 2012One of Britain's most senior police chiefs Sir Norman Bettison of West Yorkshire Police warned that Government spending cuts will leave officers unable to cope with a repeat of the riots that swept the country last year. He said the demand for forces to axe 20% from their budgets by 2015 will put public safety ‘in jeopardy’ and make policing widespread disorder virtually impossible. His fears were echoed by the chief constable of South Yorkshire Police, David Crompton who said minimising the impact on frontline services will become impossible if there are further cuts. 'At the moment we are keeping a lid on things and they are going in the right direction. That is a tribute to everyone in this force.’ Both forces ruled out privatising frontline services and following the example of Lincolnshire Police, which has signed a controversial £20 million contract with security firm G4S.
Pray: that God would give the Government wisdom as they utilise the diverse budgets at their disposal. (Pr.16:16)
A police chaplain says he was forced out of his post after criticising the Government’s plans for gay marriage on his personal website, MPs have been told. Rev Brian Ross said he was summoned to a meeting with a senior officer and told that postings on his blog on the subject of marriage did not fit with the force’s equality and diversity policies. Campaigners against same-sex marriage claimed that the case was “just the start of things to come”. They said it backed up warnings that chaplains in hospitals, prisons and the armed forces as well as teachers and other public servants could be dismissed legally from their jobs if they take what they consider to be a stand on grounds of conscience over the issue. Ministers have repeatedly insisted that no one should be sacked from their job for voicing opposition to same-sex marriage and have built in special “protections” for clerics into the Government’s Marriage Bill.
Pray: for Government to make their promises clear by acting to ensure no one should lose their job because of stating their point of view. (Jn.16:29)
More: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/9901134/Police-chaplain-forced-out-after-criticising-gay-marriage.html