Police Journal OnlineSeptember 2002
Volume 83 Number 9


"serving the protectors"

Chaplaincy

Two kinds of people

By Graeme Rogerson
Chaplin to Victor Harbor Police

An English police commissioner in Britain told of an exam question given to a group of cadets. First, the cadets had to imagine they were driving a police car and came to an intersection where two cars had been involved in an accident.

In one of the cars were two burglars – one of whom was dead – and stolen goods on the back seat. In the other car was the constable in charge of the local police station and the blonde wife of the police chief.

On a bridge above the accident scene was a man about to jump to his death, and farther down the street was a pub selling liquor outside of licensing hours.

In the other street was one young man selling drugs to another young man. And farther along that street was a third young man attacking an elderly man, whose possessions he was stealing.

Finally, the question was put to the cadets: “Explain briefly what you would do in such circumstances?”

One cadet wrote: “Remove uniform and mingle with the crowd.”

I believe there are just two kinds of people: those who work to make the world a better place for everyone, and those who work to make a better place for themselves.

The Old Testament character, Moses – who was depicted in the film, Prince of Egypt – was of the former type. Although he was a Jew by birth, he was adopted by Pharaoh’s daughter and raised in the palace as an Egyptian prince.

By virtue of these opportunities, he had become quite different from his relatives who were languishing in slavery. How easy it would have been for him to turn his back on his people and content himself with the privileges and luxury of life as a prince.

However, he chose not to do that. Rather, he identified with the suffering of his fellow Jews, and eventually led them out of Egypt to the freedom of the Promised Land.

Police officers have, like Moses, chosen to work at making the world a better place for everyone. I see my task as one of supporting and encouraging police in the role they have undertaken.

Social commentator, Hugh Mackay, observes that:

Australia – at the beginning of the 21st century – is a place of stress, anxiety and struggle and, just as a weighty keel is the secret to successfully weathering storms in a yacht… so I believe it is in what lies below the surface of our lives – to what the Bible refers to as the Spirit or the heart – that rests the secret to us weathering the storms of life.

So, I pray for you in the words of Ephesians 3:16. “I ask God from the wealth of His glory to give you power through His Spirit to be strong in your inner selves… Amen.”

SA Police Chaplains

Welfare Section 58 David Marr 8364 3567
  Senior Police Chaplain.  
Academy 8 Brenton Daulby 8272 8324
Adelaide: 158 Vacant
Adelaide Hills Division 54 Vacant
Ceduna 214 Sybil Peacock 8625 3505
Christies Beach 20 Peter Coote 8381 3039
    0412 818 995
Clare 202 Michael Dutschke 8842 3681
Communications 172 David Hand 8376 5612
Elizabeth 52 Lindsay Mayes 8281 8088
Far North 210 John Folkman 8672 5011
Firearms/Records Dianna Bartlett 8337 8552
Gawler 52 Brian Tscharke 8522 2288
Glenelg 22 Vacant
Henley Beach 18 Tim Kowald 8449 6868
Holden Hill 44 Rod Dyson 8365 1170
Kadina 71 Vacant  
Kingston 208 Vacant  
Mount Gambier 208 Brian Ashworth (w) 8723 1353
    (h) 8725 2537
Murray Bridge 200 Malcolm Bottrill 8532 5536
Naracoorte 208 Bruce Cliff 8737 2457
    0417 811 702
Norwood 60 Lynton Wade 8362 2227
    0418 831 703
Nuriootpa 204 Andy Kowald 8562 1011
Port Adelaide 6 Jeff Oake 8341 5930
Port Pirie 206 Steve Ardill 8632 3977
Prosecution Services 176 Vacant  
Port Augusta PS 210 Mark Thomas 8642 2487
    0401 671 850
Port Lincoln 214 Lester Reinbott 8683 3018
Riverland 212 Robin Zadow 8588 1540
Salisbury 53 Vacant  
South East Terry Natt 8571 1114
Sturt 12 Chris Beal 8278 9578
  Ian Dempsey 8296 7292
Tea Tree Gully 48 Bob George 8395 9363
Thebarton Barracks 32 Vacant  
Transit Division Rob Packer 8332 9155
Victor Harbor Graham Rogerson (h) 8552 1718
    (w) 8552 5029
Whyalla 218 Tony Redden 8649 3593


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