Recently I was visiting New York. One of things I noticed was the high visibility policing of the city. The presence of the New York Police Department (NYPD) was to be seen all over Manhattan. This high visibility approach took the form of officers controlling crossings, junctions and traffic. They were also visible patrolling the city streets. The presence of the NYPD was enhanced by their judicious use of their vehicles. Police cars emblazoned with the NYPD logo were deployed citywide often parked with blue and red lights flashing.
A very visible sign of their presence.
This style of policing as employed by the NYPD is designed to reassure the public that crime is under control and that the police are active, vigilant and pro-active.
It seemed to be working.
I took the opportunity to examine some of the 9,624 cars owned by the NYPD and was interested by their mission statement which appears on each and every vehicle - “Courtesy, Professionalism, Respect”.
This is a wonderful statement and ought to be applied to any police-force. Indeed if police conduct was guided by “Courtesy, Professionalism, Respect” many of the problems with the public, real and perceived, would be avoided.
However, we are heading into Holy Week and I would like to reflect upon the treatment that Jesus of Nazareth received from the ‘police’ forces of his place and time. There were two ‘forces’ involved. Those of the Roman occupation administration and those of the Temple administration. Neither acquitted themselves with honour. Jesus was arrested during a late night raid when he was in an open-air prayer meeting. His arrest was made using a paid-informant and involved violence and aggression.
Further, the forces of the law did not exercise “Courtesy, Professionalism, Respect” for him once he was taken into custody. He was assaulted, spat on, verbally abused and treated to anti-religious hate behaviour.
His ‘trial’ was a kangaroo-court held in his cell where paid and bullied witnessed perjured themselves. Jesus himself was beaten and abused rather being interviewed or invited to make a statement.
Following this mockery of the ‘trial’ he was further abused, assaulted and insulted by the ‘forces of law and order’ until he was executed. Even this judicial-killing was conducted with the maximum of cruelty and vindictiveness. So much for “Courtesy, Professionalism, Respect”
In western societies, even with the many instances of miscarriage of justice and police criminality and misconduct, we do not witness such colossal malpractice as Jesus experienced. In other nations people do. And they often suffer in these ways for their faith. Sometimes for their Christian faith. Those of us who are privileged to live in free and democratic societies have a duty to campaign for the rights of others less fortunate. To campaign for those who suffer police brutality just as Jesus did.
Whether we are people of faiths or no-faiths we should join shoulder to shoulder to demand that all peoples receive“ Courtesy, Professionalism, Respect” from those who are supposed to guard, serve and protect them. Let the story of Maundy Thursday and Good Friday remind us - “Courtesy, Professionalism, Respect” - it really matters!
Revd David Pattie
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