Police Officer becomes 'Honorary Town Pastor'

Recently my friend Liz Beaton awarded me the unofficial title of 'Honorary Ipswich Town Pastor' (the only one in existence). I now proudly wear the Pastors polo shirt she gave me, at work and even in my local pub. It does initiate a lot of conversations and questions and I get to promote 'us' as much as I can.

I have over 30 years police service and have been involved with the Ipswich Town Pastors from the very beginning. They were appropriately 'born', Christmas 2005, when we had the first ever Town Pastor 'patrols'.

It all started when I met Liz at a meeting. The meeting was promoting the idea that prayer could reduce crime.   

I was 'sent' by my bosses and was reluctant to say the least to attend. I was very cynical and sceptical and
almost 'anti'. I was determined to be controversial and introduced myself as "Sergeant Boast from Ipswich Police Station, and I don't believe in God". One of the attendees

piped up "You Will", and everyone, including me, laughed. Christians, I have since found out, have a great sense of humour.

I met with Liz several times and now class her, the Reverend Paul Daltry and lots of the Pastors, as friends.  An idea came to me that soon became the Ipswich Town Pastors.

From my  'Sunday School days' I remembered lots of bible references and thought that 'the God Squad' as I affectionately called them, could get out on the streets and help people. I put the idea to Liz and Paul and we soon had 'uniforms' and a rough idea of what we should do.

The Ipswich Town Pastors have gone from strength to strength and I am very proud of them, us.

It's probably the best thing I've achieved in my police service. It’s certainly reduced crime in Ipswich Town Centre. Sexual assaults went down by 70% (compared to the previous year) on that first Christmas when the Town Pastors patrolled.

My attitudes towards religion and Christianity have changed from negative to positive as a result of my continued work with the Town Pastors. I think that lots of officers were sceptical at first but the Police have statistical evidence to prove the Town Pastors have helped reduce crime in Ipswich (and now in Bury St Edmunds as we got a scheme going there) I also do regular CCTV surveillance duty and witness how much of a difference they make.

I regularly meet with Paul and Liz and am now comfortable being told I am "prayed for". It did freak me out at first when Town Pastors told me they prayed for me and my colleagues. I now phone the Town Pastor Prayer Team at the Christian Youth Ministry office and give them updates of what is happening when I'm on duty in the Ipswich Borough Council CCTV (keeping an eye on the Town Pastors) This did not happen when I first started. I've changed.

I have found myself thinking far more about religion and faith and examining my own beliefs and morals. Sadly I'm not a Christian, but, I'd class myself, like a lot of the people who are helped each weekend by the Pastors, as, CONFUSED!