In an Increasingly Diverse Society to Identify Those Aspects of Religious Diversity Which Have a Direct Relevance to Operational
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THE WINSTON CHURCHILL MEMORIAL TRUST OF AUSTRALIA Report by – THE REVEREND JIM PILMER, Senior Chaplain Victoria Police 2003 Churchill Fellow TOPIC In an increasingly diverse society to identify those aspects of religious diversity which have a direct relevance to operational policing, with the aim of helping police become more aware of (and responsive to) religious issues. To enhance national awareness by police of religious traditions, expectations and rituals surrounding times of death, trauma or crisis. I understand that the Churchill Trust may publish this Report, either in hard copy or on the internet or both, and consent to such publication. I indemnify the Churchill Trust against any loss, costs or damages it may suffer arising out of any claim or proceedings made against the Trust in respect of or arising out of the publication of any Report submitted to the Trust and which the Trust places on a website for access over the internet. I also warrant that my Final Report is original and does not infringe the copyright of any person, or contain anything which is, or the incorporation of which into the Final Report is, actionable for defamation, a breach of any privacy law or obligation, breach of confidence, contempt of court, passing-off or contravention of any other private right or of any law. Signed ……………………………………………… Dated 1st February 2004 INDEX COVER PAGE ................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. INDEX............................................................................................................... ii INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND...............................................................1 General Policing............................................................................................1 Internal Implications For Police Organisations ..................................................2 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ....................................................................................3 Project Description……………………………………………………………………….3 Major Lessons Learnt .............................................................................................3 PROGRAM ITINERARY AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ......................................5 HIGHLIGHTS.....................................................................................................7 MAIN BODY OF REPORT ..................................................................................8 Diversity and Equity …………………………………………………………................7 San Francisco...............................................................................................9 Vancouver ....................................................................................................9 New Orleans...............................................................................................10 Pensacola ..................................................................................................11 New York....................................................................................................12 London.......................................................................................................12 Stockholm ..................................................................................................14 Training………………………………………………………………………………13 Reaching out through art…………………………………………………………..14 Building bridges from both sides………………………………………………….14 Berlin .........................................................................................................16 The Netherlands..........................................................................................17 Ammersfoort....................................................................................................17 Breda...............................................................................................................18 Luesden (Police School) .................................................................................18 Soest ...............................................................................................................18 ii IDENTIFIED AREAS FOR HEIGHTENED AWARENESS OF RELIGIOUS DIVERSITY BY POLICE............................................................................................20 Recruiting campaigns……………………………………………………….….….19 Training………………………………………………….......................................19 In-service training............................................................................................20 Community Policing.........................................................................................20 Showing respect when entering homes ..........................................................20 Respect in places of worship...........................................................................20 Respect for sacred sites..................................................................................21 Use of dogs in searching places of worship ....................................................21 Death notification.............................................................................................21 Sensitivity when comforting people in grief .....................................................21 Attendance at SIDS deaths .............................................................................21 Post Mortems ..................................................................................................21 Taking of DNA and blood samples..................................................................21 Organ donation................................................................................................21 Information regarding burial and cremation requirements...............................21 Crime scenes ..................................................................................................22 Domestic/family violence calls.........................................................................22 The court process............................................................................................22 Critical incident debriefing of police.................................................................22 Informed preparation of briefs .........................................................................22 Prisoners .........................................................................................................22 Police ceremonies ...........................................................................................22 Police culture...................................................................................................23 Retention of a religiously diverse staff…………………………………………...22 Progression of a religiously diverse staff.........................................................23 Effects of religious requirements on staffing ...................................................23 Ethical Standards Department (Victoria Police) ..............................................23 Provision of quiet rooms..................................................................................23 Police uniform and presentation......................................................................23 Giving police a “language” to talk about religious issues ................................24 Peer support....................................................................................................24 Police negotiators............................................................................................24 Transit Police...................................................................................................24 Death of member of the public as a result of police response ........................24 Attendance at deaths……………………………………………………………....23 iii Respecting the spirituality of the “non-religious” .............................................24 Disaster response ...........................................................................................24 Counter Terrorism Units ..................................................................................24 Police on overseas assignment.......................................................................25 Photographing of personal images..................................................................25 Victims of Crime Support Program..................................................................25 “Organisational spirituality”..............................................................................25 Personal body searches..................................................................................25 Welfare services..............................................................................................25 SPECIFIC FAITHS (Sample material only) .........................................................26 Bahai Faith .................................................................................................26 Buddhism ...................................................................................................27 Christianity ……………………………………………………………………………...26 Hinduism ....................................................................................................28 Islam ..........................................................................................................28 Judaism………………………………………………………………………………….28 Sikhism………………………………………………………………………………..…28 REFERENCES ……………………………………………………………………………..30 RECOMMENDATIONS …………………………………………………………………...31 IMPLEMENTATION AND DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION