Pagans join growing number of religious police associations

The Police have formally recognised the Pagan Police Association which will take its place with the Muslim Police Federation, the Christian Police Association, the Sikh Police Association and all the other sectional interest groups.

The pagan group — which has been recognised by the Police Federation and the Home Office — will be given Hallowe’en and summer solstice off as religious holiday.

PC Andy Pardy from Hertfordshire Police, who set up the association, said there were misconceptions about the religion. It did not involve ‘dancing naked around a fire’, he said. “It involves chanting, music, meditation, reading passages. For pagans, the practices are seen to have the same power as prayer does for Christians.”

Terry Sanderson, president of the National Secular Society, said: “We have nothing against pagans, or anyone else, observing their religion, but it should have no place in policing. We now have a police force that encourages members to identify themselves in religious terms and that cannot be good for community cohesion. The police are there to serve the whole community, not bits of it, and when people put their religious identity before their identity as police officers, suspicions can arise that they will not treat everyone in the same way.”

Mr Sanderson said: “If there is one public service that it is essential should be secular, it is the police force. Instead, we have this burgeoning of religious groups within the force, each demanding special treatment. It’s not the way to do it. All these sectional groups — whether based on religion, race or sexuality — should be dismantled before they cause real problems.”

See also: Where’s PC Pagan, sarge?