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group in the CPA 60 . As such there are likely to be common opinions and shared

theologies relating to ministry that may not be representative of the views of other
Christians within the police. The overall picture that emerges from the questionnaire

is fairly inconclusive and there is only limited consensus among the respondents.
Some of the questions stimulate a mixed response and as a result specific patterns

and trends become difficult to define. In a similar manner the chaplains who were
interviewed also come from a narrow denominational and theological base, and are

unlikely therefore to represent a definitive approach to ministry. Among the chaplains
a kind of conservatism can be discerned in that ministry is principally defined in terms
of chaplaincy, with other perspectives of ministry being largely unrecognised. Another

significant issue for the research is its lack of other faith perspectives. Certainly if
police employees and faith ministers adhering to faiths beyond Christianity had been

identifiable, or indeed present within the service, then clearly their views with regard
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to ministry would have been valuable .

60 These did however form a significant 52% of the CPA membership.
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Armitage of course addresses this point specifically in his Doctorate thesis (2000).