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(1996:3.1) . This is not entirely surprising and may be attributable to factors such as
denominational demographics within the police service or a differentiation in the
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resources available to the individual Christian churches . Even so little in the way of
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a Catholic position or response is identified . Thirdly, Armitage identifies a lack of
consistency and support for chaplains across the UK forces. Chaplains can be full or

part-time (1996:3.1), selection procedures are varied (1996:4.5), training
opportunities are limited (1996:4.7), and systems of supervision are not always

clearly defined (1996:4.8). Fourthly, spiritual health is perceived to be an essential
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consideration in approaching staff welfare (1996:1.9) . Finally the qualities required
in a chaplain are identified to include counselling skills, a commitment to the police

service and its aims, an enthusiasm for working in relationship to others, and not
seeking to use chaplaincy as a means of evangelisation (1996:4.11).

In his second study, Issues of Religious Diversity Affecting Visible Ethnic Police
Personnel in the Workplace Armitage questions the apparent impartiality of chaplains

and suggests rather that they, and indeed police chaplaincy as a whole tends
towards a Christian methodology 49 (2000:247-265). He perceives a particular tension

within The Handbook for Police Chaplains in which the chaplain’s role is understood
as being evangelistic on the one hand, ‘but the chaplain is not appointed to be an

evangelist’ on the other (Pole cited in 2000:275). He proposes that ‘if police
chaplaincy is to respond to the needs of all police personnel’ then it ‘must look

beyond its own narrow Christian cultural base’ (2000:268), and he is critical of the
service for failing to develop a multi-faith perspective. This hints at the cultural impact
of post-modernism with its accents of diversity and relativism, and indeed Armitage

asserts that in meeting the needs of all faiths, chaplaincy must recognise ‘that truth
exists in all religions’ (2000:279).

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Armitage makes this point himself in his later work: Issues of Religious Diversity Affecting Visible Ethnic Police
Personnel in the Workplace. He suggests the dominance of the Anglican Church is detrimental to the police
service (2000:321).
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Financial constraints are highlighted as a factor for both the police service and the Christian churches
(1996:4.3). This is likely to be an even more significant factor in the current economic climate.
47 Armitage cites Bishop Gerhard Pieschl the Catholic lead for police chaplaincy in Germany as stating “there has
been no significant policy comment from the Roman Catholic Church concerning policing issues”(1996:1.8.1)
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This reflects the “secular hermeneutic for spirituality” identified in Chapter 1 of this work.
49 Armitage cites The Handbook for Police Chaplains, in which Christian chaplains seek to be identified by the
faith they represent, but also be responsive to those of other faith and indeed no faith (2000:249).