Dear Everyone.
The murder of Sarah Everard by a Met police officer has come as a great shock which has seriously shaken trust in policing services.
For more than 20 years I have been privileged to serve as a voluntary chaplain to the Nottinghamshire police Constabulary. Many experiences during that time have made me aware of the great integrity and assiduous care that police officers and civilians working for the police show in their work and I admire them greatly .
Commitment to public service can add considerable pressures on to the family life and emotional health of officers. Rapid life and death decisions when dealing with violent criminals and the increasing forensic know-how required, ever increasing demands of contemporary accountability and digitilisation all add to the load of their tasks as in many other caring professions.
Enquiries into criminal practices are not easily undertaken because security safeguards within policing require great confidentiality. The ‘blame culture’ has very little to give to make things better; but serious crimes that occasionally take place within policing need to be dealt with by effective impartial enquiries. No human beings are infallible. Under pressure we can all make mistakes.
Police services need our support, our prayers and our encouragement- so that right conduct, based on a right and healthy respect for all people and our environment,may prevail in every part of society. Our attitudes too play an important part in encouraging the growth of ‘good neighbourliness,’ without which no nation can safely and healhily thrive.
With all good wishes and Every Blessing,
Sincerely,
David
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