New chaplains are needed by Norfolk Police 

Former military policeman and army pilot, Rev Ian Byrne, is the new lead chaplain for Norfolk Police and is keen to recruit new chaplains to join his team. Keith Morris reports.

Ian took over the key role with Norfolk Constabulary following the death of former lead chaplain, Richard Whall, last May.
 
A former Royal Military Policeman and army pilot, Ian served mainly in Germany and Northern Ireland, with short tours in Canada and a post Gulf War deployment with 42 Commando to the Caribbean.
 
After five years employed as a military advisor and project manager to the government Centre for Defence Analysis in Farnborough, Ian retired from the Army in 2001 to train for ministry in the Church of England.
 
For 11 years prior to retirement, Ian had been an active lay member of the Army Archdeaconry Synod, its role at the time being to provide moral, spiritual, and ethical advice and support to military decision makers as and when requested.
 
After two years of ministerial training based in Oxford, Ian, wife Ann and their three girls, moved to Suffolk in 2003 where he held various ministry and chaplaincy posts before retiring to Wymondham in October 2020.
 
Ian has experience of working closely with various civilian police forces in varying overt and covert roles during his military career and has been a voluntary police chaplain for around 20 years.
 
“With three paramedics and a serving police officer in my immediate family, together with my own life experiences, I understand the pressures and the reality of life in uniform and in the service of others and am clear on the need for chaplains to support the Police service,” said Ian.
 
“Police work has become increasingly complex and demanding. It is often daunting and sometimes dangerous. It is recognised that, more than ever, at times individuals may need some help to be able to keep things in perspective.

“Police work can affect us, our physical and mental well-being, as well as, perhaps, our own deeply held standards and beliefs. Chaplains are available as a confidential listening ear to anyone who needs us, in whatever way that might be.”
 
Ian is Lead Chaplain for Norfolk Constabulary as well providing regular support to its Headquarters at Wymondham Police Station and Investigation Centre, and the police training establishment at Hethersett.
 
Ian said: “I am keen to establish wider contacts within church and voluntary groups in the Norwich area, and would be happy to provide a short introduction to police chaplaincy and hear from anyone who is interested in finding out more.”
 
Currently there are nine voluntary police chaplains supporting Norfolk Constabulary across the county. Not all are in full-time ministry or necessarily ordained ministers; but all are appropriately qualified and willing to give time to the role.
 
According to Police Chaplaincy UK, chaplains are committed to:

• Supporting and encouraging officers, staff and their families confidentially and discreetly.
• Respecting and reflecting the diversity of belief within the service and the wider community.
• Valuing each individual as a complete person in body, mind and spirit.
• Caring for, and supporting the organisation, contributing when appropriate in the decision-making processes.

 
What do chaplains do?

• Build relationships based on trust
• Get to know the people we serve and understand the job they do
• Support officers and staff in all aspects of their professional lives
• Develop clear and strong links with operational policing 

How do chaplains do this?

• By visiting police stations and specialist units
• Attending training sessions
• Responding to major and critical incidents
• Being alongside people in the most challenging times of life – spending time on duty with officers and police staff
• Being a non-judgemental listening ear, a silent, compassionate presence, someone who affirms who you are and cares about what you believe
• Being representative practitioners who, true to their own faith or belief, engage openly and honestly with those of all faiths and none 

Anyone interested in the role is welcome to make initial contact with Ian at: norfolkchaplain@gmail.com
 
www.policechaplaincy.uk
 
Pictured above is Rev Ian Byrne.