As the public loses confidence in the police how should Christians respond?

A poll has found that 81 per cent of Britons have lost trust in the police due to officers abusing their powers. The survey, commissioned by the human rights organisation Liberty, also found that 7 per cent of respondents expressed concern about sexism and racism in policing. It’s understandable to see why the public is losing confidence in the police.

In recent years there have been a series of damaging scandals and reports that have exposed misogyny and discrimination among rank-and-file officers and cases of corruption. There is also disquiet from some sections of society about how police have prioritised debatable hate crimes over genuine criminal loss and damage. All these have eroded trust in the police, all accelerated by the general trend to be more sceptical about anyone in authority.

Some of the issues in the police force are of genuine concern and as part of our democratic responsibility, we should be urging our government to seek to improve some aspects of culture and discipline. Furthermore, here are some ways we can do more to respond as Christians:

Pray for the police

As Christians, we also have a responsibility to pray for those in authority, including the police force, that they do their jobs well and allow us to live in peace and safety. Romans 13 commands us ‘be subject to the governing authorities’ (Romans 13:1) therefore our instinctive response when we interact with the police should be to show respect to the officers we deal with and support them.

Get involved

Christians can also make a difference by getting involved with our local police force, they welcome members of the public asking to meet with them to discuss any concerns we have, but we can also ask them how best we can pray for them and support them.

Support organisations making a difference

Ultimately we want to be addressing the root causes of crime. Some of that is in social and economic conditions that some people experience but also the importance of stable families with good role models, especially for young boys. 

We need a police force because we live in a sinful world where people do not always treat each other as they should. In God’s common grace, the police help society restrain evil. As we seek to support the police we want to also point people to the ultimate cure for evil – the work of our saviour treated unjustly by the police of his day, in order that we the criminals might go free.