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One respondent did feel that a culture of ‘machoism’ still held many officers and
staff back from joining the CPA, and did speculate as to whether the CPA should
be charged with running the force chaplaincy service. One respondent highlighted
how it has been proposed that the senior force chaplain be made a full time role
to raise the profile of chaplaincy. None of the chaplains however wanted this as it
was felt that it could compromise their independence within the police service.

Question 11 – What are the most pressing pastoral concerns within the
police service?

Few chaplains identified any specific pastoral issue that affected the police more
than any other section of society. A certain amount of uncertainty among police
staff was identified as being of issue, linked to the current financial climate and
the fact ‘there seem to be fewer people to do more things’. This unease according
to another chaplain is linked to the rapid changes within policing, ‘financial
constraints’, and ‘unfair criticism’, that has led to ‘something of an identity crisis’
within the service. In this regard it was suggested that police staff have ‘to accept
that they are human, and need to be allowed to behave as such’. This highlights
something of the pressures affecting officers and staff within the contemporary
service. In acknowledging the ‘frustrations within the job’, another chaplain
provided a contrary view proposing that the constabulary actually ‘appears in
good heart’.

In addressing these pastoral concerns the focus should be ‘Christian ethics, and
support on all levels, including families and retired members’. It is about having
‘someone to just be there’. A particular pastoral issue is simply about ‘chaplains
getting used’, and ‘there is a need for better organisation of the resource and a
raised awareness of chaplaincy’. It would be a positive step forward if police staff
could be made aware that a chaplain is available.

One chaplain did relate how they had been involved with baptisms and wedding
blessings for police staff which demonstrated an overtly ‘sacramental aspect’ of
their role particularly ‘concerning these rights-of-passage events’.

Question 12 – How do these pastoral concerns relate to those in the church
or indeed wider society?

There was some agreement among the chaplains that in a certain sense the
pastoral issues affecting the police are little different to those within wider society.
As one chaplain put it ‘people are people, there is no difference’. Another chaplain
agreed that police officers did ‘reflect society’ but suggested that they ‘see so
much (they) have to make an effort not to be deadened to it’. This was supported
by another chaplain although they identified ‘a key issue within the police is
loneliness’. It was suggested that police officers are ‘more reluctant to spill the
beans about their feelings. It’s a macho thing that needs to be overcome’, and
while there was recognition of the ‘humanitarian aspect of chaplains’, some staff
‘are put off by a fear of bible bashing’. This cultural cynicism within the police
service could only really be overcome by allowing people ‘an opportunity to talk’. It
was suggested that in this regard people within the service as in other parts of