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This is a very recent page. An even newer page Alan Billings, South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner: scrutiny and accountability gives more material, and the information that I have decided to make a complaint against the Police and Crime Commissioner. Both pages provide argument and evidence to explain the decision. For the time being, there is some overlap between the material on the  two pages, some duplication. Both pages are amongst  the exceptions to this, from the Home Page of the site:

 

I've been working on new, very demanding design projects. The time I have available for other projects is restricted. Pages I intended  to  revise / extend will have to remain for now in their present state. No further information provided for now,
with one exception: an invention which has now been awarded a 'Patent Pending'  by the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

 

Another exception, another page which will be revised and extended to include the substantial new material I have available, despite the demands on my time: South Yorkshire Police: a Complaint to the Independent Office for Police Conduct.

 

 

Introduction: the South Yorkshire Police and Crime Panel and the 'voice for all people of South Yorkshire,' Alan Billings, the South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner.

 

Alan Billings holds South Yorkshire Police to account and the South Yorkshire Police and Crime Panel to account - that's the theory. Has he been successful in ensuring that the public can comment on the work of the Commissioner? His department doesn't seem to be a model of efficiency. In fact, the initial impression would be unfavourable, if one of the criteria is this very reasonable one: ensuring that the public can contact members of the Police and Crime Panel and members of the Independent Ethics Panel easily, without the need to devote time and effort to internet searches and sending emails to find out how emails can be sent to these people.

 

He claimed, when he was appointed,

 

1I will be a voice for all people in South Yorkshire. I will be the people’s commissioner.'

 

I've many criticisms to make about the Police and Crime Commissioner. I tried to contact the Crime and Police Panel to bring them to their attention and found myself facing an obstacle course.

 

If someone wants to complain about South Yorkshire Police, then it's very simple - a well-designed and efficient system is in place. It isn't only complaints and criticisms to the Police and Crime Panel which meet with difficulties. Attempts to find out information too.


https://southyorkshire-pcc.gov.uk/news/alan-billings-takes-office-as-police-and-crime-
commissioner-for-south-yorkshire/

For further details about the South Yorkshire Police and Crime Panel please visit: www.southyorks.gov.uk

 

Clicking on this link will get you nowhere. You'll simply receive an error message:

 

 

If you use information supplied on the page

 

https://southyorkshire-pcc.gov.uk/contact/complaints/information-on-how-to-make-a-complaint

 

COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE POLICE AND CRIME COMMISSIONER

The appropriate authority for complaints made against the Police and Crime Commissioner is the Police and Crime Panel. The Panel has delegated authority for the initial receipt of complaints to the Chief Executive of the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner. Complaints received which are about the conduct of the Commissioner will be referred to the Police and Crime Panel.

Complaints should be sent to:

PCP Legal Adviser
Barnsley MBC
Town Hall
Church Street
Barnsley S70 2TA
Email: PCP@syjs.gov.uk 

 

then clicking on the email link will get you nowhere. You'll simply receive an error message:

 

 

 

After an internet search, I found a promising phone number and the promise was fulfilled. I was able to send the document I'd written giving critical comments about the Police and Crime Commissioner. I asked that the document should reach members of the Panel.

 

I brought the missing links to the attention of an official. Now, I am assured, the email address PCP@syjs has been fixed. However, at the time of writing, the link to   www.southyorks.gov.uk has still not been fixed. I see it as necessary to bring the document to the attention of Alan Billings, to members of the Police and Crime Panel and to members of the Independent Ethics Panel. If the link had not been broken, I could have submitted the document to members of the Police and Crime Panel. I was able to send the document, but not directly to members of the Panel. I have reasons for thinking that they may well not have received the document. I've taken the step of sending the document individually to the members at email addresses which I know will work. I haven't been able to send the document to members of the Independent Ethics Panel. No email addresses are provided on the main Website page giving information about the members and their work. I see this as a significant omission, one which should be corrected.

 

 

Below, an extract from the document I wanted to reach members of the Panel. Material included on Christianity and policing can also be found in the third column of the page. There's some overlap between material in this column and the third Column. Other material in the document concerned with general policing and background material in the document will be added to this page in revised form.

 

Here, I outline wide-ranging issues which arise from a complaint I have made concerning South Yorkshire Police to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC). Amongst these wide-ranging issues are ones which concern the South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner. I have critical comments to make concerning the Commissioner. My complaint regarding South Yorkshire Police is currently being investigated by the Professional Standards Department of South Yorkshire Police. I have made clear my view that the case, which comprises various episodes, can only be adjudicated with any likelihood of fairness if it examined by the IOPC and for the clear-cut, incontestable reason that one of the episodes dates back to 2015 and the Professional Standards Department is unable to examine matters dating back to this time.


My complaint - informal rather than formal - concerning the handling of the matter dating back to  2015 was examined by a senior officer at the time, but his examination was superficial and he failed to address the issues. I have little confidence that South Yorkshire Police can adjudicate adequately on matters relating to the events of 2021 and 2022 listed below. I make no wider claims in the least - that South Yorkshire Police is generally deficient, either in matters relating to complaints or in its operational effectiveness. I have made it completely clear in communications with the force that far from finding South Yorkshire Police deficient, I consider the force to be very impressive in general, with very wide-ranging strengths. I emphasize the fact that jut because South Yorkshire Police has failed on multiple occasions in its dealings with me - I give evidence in this communication as well as elsewhere - this is no reason to take a critical attitude to its work in general.

 

I have made it completely clear that far from finding South Yorkshire Police deficient, I consider the force to be very impressive in general. It would take me a long time to give even a partial list of the strengths of South Yorkshire Police and I do not even attempt it here. I emphasize the fact that just because South Yorkshire Police failed on multiple occasions in its dealings with me, this is no reason to take a critical attitude to its work in general

My complaint - informal rather than formal - concerning the handling of the matter was examined by a senior officer at the time, but his examination was superficial and he failed to address the issues. I have no confidence that South Yorkshire Police can adjudicate on matters relating to the present case in a fair-minded, thorough and efficient manner. I make no wider claims in the least - that South Yorkshire Police is generally deficient, either in matters relating to complaints or in its operational effectiveness.

 

I have made it completely clear that far from finding South Yorkshire Police deficient, I consider the force to be very impressive in general. It would take me a long time to give even a partial list of the strengths of South Yorkshire Police and I do not even attempt it here. I emphasize the fact that just because South Yorkshire Police failed on multiple occasions in its dealings with me, this is no reason to take a critical attitude to its work in general.

My complaint - informal rather than formal - concerning the handling of the matter was examined by a senior officer at the time, but his examination was superficial and he failed to address the issues. I have no confidence that South Yorkshire Police can adjudicate on matters relating to the present case in a fair-minded, thorough and efficient manner. I make no wider claims in the least - that South Yorkshire Police is generally deficient, either in matters relating to complaints or in its operational effectiveness.

 

I have made it completely clear that far from finding South Yorkshire Police deficient, I consider the force to be very impressive in general. It would take me a long time to give even a partial list of the strengths of South Yorkshire Police and I do not even attempt it here. I emphasize the fact that just because South Yorkshire Police failed on multiple occasions in its dealings with me, this is no reason to take a critical attitude to its work in general.

This is simply a preliminary treatment of wide-ranging issues which arise from a complaint I have made to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC). The complaint is currently being investigated by the Professional Standards Department of South Yorkshire Police. I have made it clear that the case, which comprises various episodes, can only be adjudicated with any hope of fairness if it is examined by the IOPC, for the reason that one of the episodes dates back to 2015 and the Professional Standards Department is unable to examine matters dating back to this time.

 

My complaint - informal rather than formal - concerning the handling of the matter was examined by a senior officer at the time, but his examination was superficial and he failed to address the issues. I have no confidence that South Yorkshire Police can adjudicate on matters relating to the present case in a fair-minded, thorough and efficient manner. I make no wider claims in the least - that South Yorkshire Police is generally deficient, either in matters relating to complaints or in its operational effectiveness.

 

I have made it completely clear that far from finding South Yorkshire Police deficient, I consider the force to be very impressive in general. It would take me a long time to give even a partial list of the strengths of South Yorkshire Police and I do not even attempt it here. I emphasize the fact that just because South Yorkshire Police failed on multiple occasions in its dealings with me, this is no reason to take a critical attitude to its work in general.


This is simply a preliminary treatment of wide-ranging issues which arise from a complaint I have made to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC). The complaint is currently being investigated by the Professional Standards Department of South Yorkshire Police. I have made it clear that the case, which comprises various episodes, can only be adjudicated with any hope of fairness if it is examined by the IOPC, for the reason that one of the episodes dates back to 2015 and the Professional Standards Department is unable to examine matters dating back to this time.

 

My complaint - informal rather than formal - concerning the handling of the matter was examined by a senior officer at the time, but his examination was superficial and he failed to address the issues. I have no confidence that South Yorkshire Police can adjudicate on matters relating to the present case in a fair-minded, thorough and efficient manner. I make no wider claims in the least - that South Yorkshire Police is generally deficient, either in matters relating to complaints or in its operational effectiveness.

 

I have made it completely clear that far from finding South Yorkshire Police deficient, I consider the force to be very impressive in general. It would take me a long time to give even a partial list of the strengths of South Yorkshire Police and I do not even attempt it here. I emphasize the fact that just because South Yorkshire Police failed on multiple occasions in its dealings with me, this is no reason to take a critical attitude to its work in general.

 

A concise summary of events and dates

24 November, 2015. 
Police Information Notice ('Harassment Warning') issued to me. I provide information about this particular matter in some detail. It can be found in the section 'Supplementary Material' at the end of this email.

 

8 September, 2021. Email sent to Lu Skerratt-Love pointing out difficulties (mainly security, safety) to do with the proposed garden church at some allotments near to my allotments. Email not received by Lu Skerratt-Love. Tim Ling of the Church Army had decided to block emails from me to Lu Skerratt-Love. By 12 September he had blocked emails from to himself and all members of the Research Unit. Since that time, no members of the Church Army have received emails from me.

 

As evidence, I have screenshots which make it clear that emails I sent were blocked. The wording: 'Delivery has failed ... Your message wasn't delivered. Despite repeated attempts to deliver your message, the recipient's email system refused to accept a connection from your email system.'

 

All Lu Skerratt-Love's complaints to South Yorkshire Police about alleged emails from me were made when she must have known that she had never received emails from me, are based upon falsification.

 

8 October, 2021. Letter sent from me to Lu Skerratt-Love and Tim Ling,  After this one letter, I sent no further letters. I have a copy of the letter sent which will make it clear that the letter was courteous and matter of fact.

 

22 November, 2021. Card received from South Yorkshire Police asking me to contact them. When I contacted them, told that Lu Skerratt-Love had complained about receiving unwanted emails from me. Told to stop this. I pointed out that Lu Skerratt-Love hadn't received any emails from me. They were blocked. Considered making a complaint but decided not to - I didn't want to cause any difficulties for the Police Constable who communicated the information.

 

25 November, 2021. An incidental matter. Email sent to Dr Andy Wier ('Research Team Leader' of the Church Army) in connection with his book, 'Creative Tension in Urban Mission: Missional Practice and Theory.' I had bought a copy of his book and wished simply to mention a few matters. The email I sent never received him - 'Message blocked.'

 

15 February, 1922. Yet another complaint from Lu Skerratt-Love, about alleged emails and letters, to other members of the Church Army as well as herself. Again, a complete fabrication. After the email and letter mentioned above, no further emails and letters have been received by these people. I decided that a complaint to the Professional Standards Department of South Yorkshire Police was fully justifiable. I informed Simon Kirkham and the members of police who visited on 15 February.

 

 I decided to make a complaint to the Independent Office for Police Conduct instead. I have extensive material on the previous visit from South Yorkshire Police. 

 

This previous visit took place in 2015. The Professional Standards Department has a time limit of one year. The Independent Office for Police Conduct has no time limit, provided the person can provide reasons why the complaint wasn't submitted earlier. I have very good reasons, not provided here.

 

In fact, the complaint I have made to the Independent Office for Police Conduct is a complaint not about the conduct of South Yorkshire Police but a complaint about only one member of the force, Sergeant Simon Kirkham. Various police constables have called at my house to deliver official documents. I have made it clear that I have absolutely no criticism to make of these people, no desire to subject these people to any pressure.

This message is not a continuation of the existing process of my complaint in connection with South Yorkshire Police. It is not a complaint against the Police and Crime Commissioner, Alan Billings, but I do consider some statements and actions of Alan Billings reprehensible, reckless, even. Matters to do with causation are generally very complex. I do not claim that Alan Billings is to blame for the unjust treatment I  have experienced as a direct result of the actions of Sergeant Simon Kirkham. I do argue that on the balance of probabilities, Alan Billings has  played a part in the creation of a 'culture' at South Yorkshire Police which has perhaps or probably contributed to the situation in which I find myself.

 

From the Home Office Document, 'Giving Police and Crime Commissioners greater power of competence.' Government Consultation, Introduction.

'PCCs were introduced in 2012 to give the public a direct say over policing in their area. It is important that PCCs are strong, visible leaders in the fight against crime and have the legitimacy and tools to effectively hold their police force to account. In July 2020, we announced a two-part review into the role of Police and Crime Commissioners. During Part One of the Review we collated views and evidence from stakeholders across policing, fire and local government as well as voluntary and community organisations. We heard from PCCs and their Chief Executives that they need greater powers of competence to help them get upstream of crime issues and form partnerships with local authorities, criminal justice agencies and health bodies to reduce crime as well as to drive efficiency and make better use of police estate. PCCs currently have a functional power of competence which enables them to do anything to facilitate or which is conducive or incidental to the exercise of their functions1 . However, we have heard that PCCs feel constrained because the existing powers limit their ability to undertake innovative activity; particularly where that activity might only be indirectly linked to policing.'

The next section, on the Christian Police Association, the beliefs of the Association and some implications of these beliefs, is taken directly from one of the pages of my Website. The material has been revised but will need further revision. I have made every effort to ensure that it contains no inaccuracies but the phrasing - and formatting - in a few places does not satisfy me.

 

The Christian Police Association makes completely clear that Evangelism is one of its aims: the attempt to inform police colleagues and the general public about Christian belief in the hope of converting police colleagues and the general public to Christianity - their own version of Christianity.

 

..

  • Supplementary material

     

    Further information and comment concerning the Police Information Notice ('Harassment Warning') issued to me on 24 November, 2015)

     

    In early December, 2015, there was a knock at the door, and when I opened it, I found a uniformed police officer there. She'd come to issue a  Harassment Warning. The Harassment Warning was introduced and explained. The  sanctions for infringing the Harassment Warning were made clear, by the officer and the document itself:

     

    ' ... if the kind of behaviour described here were to continue, then you would be liable to arrest and prosecution.'

     

    Crime Ref: K/116966/15

     

    What kind of behaviour? What had I done, allegedly?

     

    The police call these documents 'Police Information Notices,'  a harmless-sounding term concealing the not-in-the-least harmless reality, a euphemism if ever there was one. This was why I was risking arrest and prosecution, according to South Yorkshire Police:

     

    YOU CALLED AND LEFT A VOICEMAIL MESSAGE ON MR  & MRS CONHEENEY LANDLINE CALLING THEM BLUNDERING BUFFOONS.'

     

    YOU HAVE ALSO EMAILED MR CONHEENEY AT WORK STATING THE SAME INSULT.

     

    (If this had been checked after writing it, an obvious mistake might have been detected. It should have been 'Mr & Mrs Conheeney's landline' not 'Mr and Mrs Conheeney landline.')

     

    Is South Yorkshire Police claiming the right to police emails? Is South Yorkshire Police claiming that an email which uses the words 'blundering buffoon' is a reason for threatening an individual with criminal sanctions for using these words? I sent an email to his work address because I didn't have any other email address. The threatening language isn't, surely, the language I used but the language of this disgraceful document.

     

    Was I contacted before this document was issued, to find out my own opinion, to hear the arguments and evidence I had available? No.


    Did I call Mrs Conheeney a 'blundering buffoon' in the voicemail message or at any other time? No. The claim that I did call her a blundering buffoon  is completely false. I did point out to her that the 'Capability document,' which gave a list of my alleged failings, with the initials of the people making the claims, contained this:

     

    CH, or Chris Conheeney, the Head of Physics at the time, had made certain 'criticisms' of me.

     

    I pointed out that my examination results in Physics had been consistently outstanding and that it was intolerable that she had made 'criticisms' of me but that I had no idea what the criticisms were. She refused to tell me. I've still no idea what the criticisms were. Any person in a position of leadership who can't be bothered to give this essential information, or is afraid to give this essential information, is showing leadership of an abysmal standard.

     

    Did I call Mr Conheeney a blundering buffoon in a voicemail message and an email? Yes, I did. In what context?

     

    Just in case the police enquiries before the issue of the Harassment Warning failed to include a look at the actual email evidence, an extract from the relevant email to Andrew Conheeney:

    'Dear Andrew, I’ve now added a short section to my ‘Capability’ page [I gave a link to the page]. This is simply a first draft. It will be revised and extended. If you find it unfair, by all means contact me. If I think that your objections are valid, I’ll make some necessary changes or remove the section altogether.’

    Although the first draft contained the phrase ‘blundering buffoon,’ the entry was modified and the phrase was removed – not at Andrew Conheeney’s insistence, since he never contacted me to object to the entry. (Now that the harassment warning has been issued, with its prominent mention of the phrase, then I saw every reason to reinstate the material, and I've done so.)

     

    The tone of this isn't remotely the tone of someone writing with the intent to harass. Suppression of emails, censoring of emails should only be done in cases where malicious intent is overwhelmingly obvious. If South Yorkshire Police wishes to be known as a force which tries to suppress fair-minded emails such as this, then it is making a serious mistake.

    I only sent one email to Chris Conheeney and the tone of the email is very, very restrained. An extract:

    'In my page on capability, I have addressed many different aspects of the capablity proceedings I experienced at Tapton School, and, I believe, demonstrated beyond any doubt that the capability proceedings were grossly unfair.'

    The voicemail message I left gave reasons and arguments why I found the behaviour of Andrew and Chris Conheeney unacceptable - not just unacceptable but disturbing. The phrase 'blundering buffoon' was a tiny part of the message. The tone was moderate, not in the least threatening or harassing.

     

    The outcome I would like to achieve as a result of this communication.

     

    This is in need of rephrasing. I would refer to my objective, the end I have in view. A realistic objective would be simply this: to play a small part in a decision which it would be impossible to achieve easily, if at all, certainly a decision which it would be impossible to arrive at quickly: the dismantling of the system of Police and Crime Commissioners.

     

    I take the view that the system is based on false premises and takes no account of realities. To expect people elected by a small proportion of the electorate, with no necessity for experience of the realities of policing, to make not just a contribution to policing policies but to exercise very great powers over policing, is manifestly cause for great concern.

     

    The priorities of policing and policing policies in South Yorkshire have been distorted and harmed by the actions of Alan Billings. I don't discount in the least the possibility that he has had beneficial effects but I think there are good grounds for believing that the harm has outweighed the good.

     

    I see it as essential that policing should reflect the fact that this is a society which in essentials is secular but one which allows - and supports - freedom of religion.

     

    From a piece in 'The Star' newspaper, quoting Dr Billings.

     

     https://www.thestar.co.uk/news/opinion/todays-columnist-dr-alan-billings-keeping-our-streets-safe-464225

    Dr Billings says, in connection with Street Pastors, 'Each evening begins with prayer, and other groups pray for their work even as they walk the streets.'

     

    It was very, very unwise of Dr Billings to claim, in effect, that prayer can make a contribution to solving the very serious problems to do with policing in South Yorkshire - gun crime, knife crime and so many other problems of different degrees of seriousness but all meriting an approach based on evidence and consideration of practical measures, measures which have a chance of working and measures which are far less likely to be effective. His personal views, his private system of belief, should not have influenced this statement, now in the public domain. Putting such statements in the public domain runs the risk of adding to the misplaced confidence of individuals with Christian beliefs (even if their Christian beliefs have significant differences from the Christian beliefs of the South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner) that they themselves can influence policing in ways which reflect their beliefs. Such influences are surely harmful, not reflecting in the least the fact that Christians should have no more ability to influence or direct the policies and actions of public bodies than people with other religious beliefs  or people with no religious beliefs at all.

     

    I see it as essential that policing should recognize the principle of equality before the law. There should be no bias making the prospects of a white person seeking justice less likely to be achieved than the prospects of a black or mixed race person - or the converse. There should be no bias making the prospects of a 'heterosexual' person seeking justice less likely to achieved than the prospects of an LGBQT person - or the converse.There should be no bias making the prospects of a working class person seeking justice less likely to be achieved than the prospects of a middle class person - or the converse.

     

    In the case of this example, I state my belief that when Mr and Mrs Conheeney, who are certainly middle class, made a complaint concerning the phrase 'blundering buffoon,' then the police not only took the complaint seriously but acted on it - with consequences which have turned out to be disastrous and far-reaching, I would claim. I think that if a working class couple had made a complaint about a trivial matter, it would not have been taken seriously and it would certainly not have led to the issuing of a 'Harassment Warning.'

     

    A personal factor

     

    The 'Community Protection Notice' issued to me included this: 'it is important that you realise how much you are upsetting / distressing Lu with this conduct. You would not wish for such conduct for your loved ones.' In an email to Sergeant Kirkham of 16 February, 2022 I informed him that two police officers came to my door to issue the 'Community Protection Notice' the day after one of my own loved ones, my mother, was admitted to a hospital frailty ward. I wrote that 'these are dark days for the family.' My mother was 96 years old and had become weaker and weaker over the years.  I reacted to the issuing of the Community Protection Notice and did what I could, in particular, by sending emails to members of South Yorkshire Police putting my view that the police actions - not just that police action but earlier actions - were unwarranted, in fact, indefensible. Eventually, I couldn't go on. In a distraught state, I called at Snig Hill Police Station, making clear that I couldn't go on. This was on Friday, 11 March. I told the lady at the desk - who was very courteous, helpful and sympathetic when I explained my reasons for calling, to do with the worsening condition of my mother. The hospital had informed the family that it was impossible for our mother to survive beyond Monday 14 March. After visiting the police station, I went to the hospital, and found that mother had died a short time before. 

     

    Alan Billings has declared that one of the priorities he has set for South Yorkshire Police is 'treating people fairly.' I believe that in general, South Yorkshire Police makes every attempt to treat people fairly but that it is impossible to achieve this in all cases or almost all cases. I do not believe that I have been treated fairly - confining attention to the matters discussed here. I think that Alan Billings' view of fair treatment has deficiencies and omissions, that it is not all it seems. This is a matter which will have to await a more detailed discussion in a future communication, together with other issues which I have been unable to discuss adequately or at all here.

     

    Some recent activities.  'defamation of character'

     

    This need only be a very brief note.  This email has been delayed. There are many, many demands on my time, including matters which concern my successful application for a Patent Pending in the United States, information now included in my Website. I would have compiled this email before now but there has been a further issue which has taken up my time - not in the least a burdensome issue, far from it - a communication from the President of a national gardening society inviting me to write an article for the society's magazine on my work in connection with greenhouse design, including my work on water collecting and water conservation. The current Google ranking for my Website for the search term farms gardens composting water collecting is 1/ 17,700,000. I have done a great deal of work in connection with the serious problems posed by drought and issues to do with climate change - and a range of other problems - and devise, I would claim, practical methods which can be of great help. My work on greenhouse design and general water conservation adds to the work on farming techniques which are the subject of my successful patent application in the United States.

     

    I mention these matters for these reasons:
    (1) The fact that when the demands on my time are so many, I am willing to devote time to these issues concerning South Yorkshire Police and the South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner, delaying my work on such matters as farming and environmental matters. This is an indication of how seriously I regard the matters to do with policing and the manifest injustices I outline here.
    (2) The fact that my work on environmental and other matters is in stark contrast with the account given in documents presented to me by South Yorkshire Police, such as this, from the 'Community Protection Notice - Written Warning:'

     

    'being satisfied that your conduct is having a detrimental effect, of a persistent or continuing nature on the quality of life of those in the locality and the conduct is unreasonable now issue you with a WRITTEN WARNING.'

     

    This amounts to defamation of character. I have so much evidence I can present to make it  clear that this is so. In the locality, in my allotments, I have planted wild flowers and encouraged wildlife, such as the dragonflies which in summer visit the pond I have created. I have undertaken a wide variety of work not just in connection with the environment, such as water conservation, but in other areas, such as safe working in workshops.

     

    When the police constables came to my house to issue the 'Harassment Warning' and the 'Community Protection Notice - written warning' I received them courteously in a room lined by bookshelves, with a very wide ranging collection of books on subjects as varied as literature, philosophy, classical music, structural engineering, physical and organic chemistry, art, architecture. hisory and many other subjects.

     

    They will have seen my violin and viola. I studied with the Hungarian violinist Rudolf Botta. A composer contacted me. He had read my writing on an aspect of violin technique on my Website and asked if he could include it in the violin concerto he was writing, which would include text as well as music. I readily agreed and the violin concerto received its world premiere at a Proms concert in the Royal Albert Hall. My name was given during performance of the work.

     

    To mention such details is yet another reminder of the truly grotesque nature of the action taken against me. The contradicitons are impossible to ignore. I resolutely maintain that South Yorkshire Police - more exactly, Simon Kirkham of South Yorkshire Police - has blundered comprehensively. I can't possibly be satisfied with any resolution, any outcome which pretends that Simon Kirkham's action was reasonable to any extent at all, one which leaves any room for doubt that his action was reasonable. I also maintain that Alan Billings obviously bears no direct responsibility for the course of evets but that he has not acted with the impartiality which should be expected. He has some responsibility, but not a responsibility which warrants a complaint from me. I claim that by his words and actions, he has made it more likely that a Christian police officer, Simon Kirkham, would think it worth his while to take the action he did.

     

    Although it would not be a realistic objective for me in the least to achieve the ending of the system of Police and Crime Commissioners, one which I view as a failed experiment, a system which is undeserving of continuance.  I can, however, contribute to a process which may achieve a successful outcome, the ending of what I describe as this failed experiment.

     

    I do have a record, in a small way, of achieving change in an organization at the national and even international level. For about twenty years, I was a very active member of the Human Rights organization Amnesty International. I left the organization after it became clear to me that Amnesty was becoming more and more unrealistic in its policies and actions. I believe now that an exclusive attention to rights can have a distorting effect.

     

    For most of the time that I was a member of Amnesty, I was the death penalty co-ordinator for the group, but I worked on a wide range of other issues. For three separate issues, I persuaded the Sheffield group to pursue motions to be presented to  Annual General Meetings of Amnesty International, on these subjects. Amnesty International had no policy on the subject of anti-personnel weapons, which had killed and injured so many civilians long after a conflict had ended. I proposed that Amnesty should include opposition to these weapons in its Mandate. I proposed that Amnesty International had manifestly failed to give sufficient attention to human rights abuses in China and should correct the deficiency. I gave evidence for my view that some of the campaigning techniques used by Amnesty International were demonstrably ineffective, or not as effective as they could be, and urged the matter to be investigated and corrective action taken. I and another member of the Sheffield group addressed the assembly and the people present, about a thousand in number, voted overwhelmingly to pass all of the motions. This had the effect of change at the international level.

     

    My Website

     

    The address of my Website is
    www.linkagenet.com

     

    Since there is an Independent Ethics Panel to support the work of the South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner, I mention the fact that I am a writer on ethics amongst other things. The current Google ranking for my site for the search term ethical depth is 3 / 318,000,000. A quick check can confirm that this is so.

     

    An extract from the material on the page

     

    https://southyorkshire-pcc.gov.uk/what-we-do/iep/

     

    'The Independent Ethics Panel was launched in January 2015 to help increase public trust and confidence in the way police officers carry out their duties and to encourage greater public scrutiny of police operations.

     

    'The Panel provides independent and effective challenge and assurance around integrity, standards and ethics of decision-making in policing.'

     

    As will be clear from what I have written in this communication, I see every reason to scrutinize with great care some actions and operations of the Police and Crime Commissioner. In significant areas, I have little or no confidence in his standards and decision-making.

     

    I have already added two new pages to my Website. One of these is on the progress of my complaint to the Independent Office for Police Conduct, at present being conducted by the Professional Standards Department - but I have made it clear that this is an unsatisfactory outcome, or will be if the Independent Office for Police Conduct does not take over the case before long. The other is on the progress of this submission concerning Alan Billings, not, as I have explained a complaint but certainly very critical.

     

    There are no links to the pages on the Home Page of the site or anywhere else and there is next to no material on the pages. I will wait for quite a time before I decide what material can justifiably be added. The only people who will be mentioned by name on the pages are Sergeant Simon Kirkham and Alan Billings.

     

    The Home Page makes clear my policy on emails sent to me. The content of emails sent to me will not be disclosed on my Website or in any other publication, except with the permission of the sender. This is to ensure that any material sent to me which is critical of me, any material on any subject whatsoever, is treated as confidential.


    I have no plans whatsoever to contact the media - newspapers or any other media - in connection with these matters. I reserve the right to do that but my view is that fair-mindedness is essential. Sometimes, I write in a polemical way but I make every attempt to consider objections to my views. Reporters and others are understandably short of time and can't be expected to have the fuller information available to me. If a distorted account were to appear in a newspaper or a Website other than mine, then I would be dismayed and make corrective action.

     

    In the past, the national press have contacted me. In one of the cases, a national newspaper contacted me after two reports about an event which concerned me appeared in the local press, in two different parts of the country. The local press reports could not be faulted - they were reasonable and very fair. The report in the national newspaper was very different and I took protracted and determined action in the case.

     

    I have certainly taken every care to ensure that you have not only background information about the reasons for my complaint and this submission - not very full background information, however, since there are many, many aspects I've had to omit - as well as background information about me. I take the view that it is important to take account of events and, also, the people affected by the events and influencing events, their complex mixture of personal strengths and limitations. I include myself, of course, in this. 

     

  • Best Wishes,

Paul Hurt

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 







I

Alan Billings and Common Sense

 

Yorkshire people are often supposed to be blunt, plain-speaking folk, but South Yorkshire Police seem to have a very different view - of South Yorkshire people as fragile, timid people with no capacity for common sense or good sense, incapable of standing up for themselves. If this view prevails, South Yorkshire Police may find it much more difficult to find suitable recruits in sufficient numbers. Serving police officers have a career which is interesting, obviously of immense value to society, but one which potentially makes great demands - sensitivity, compassion, firmness, the willingness to use reasonable force when needed, determination, physical and sometimes moral courage, flexibility, versatility, and other qualities. Sometimes, though, policing can be a very easy job. I'd say that the job allocated to the policewoman who delivered the Harassment Warning to me wasn't too demanding. (Information on the Harassment Warning issued to me: in the document in the first column of the page.) I don't give her name here or anywhere else. Here, though, I concentrate my attention on

 

Dr Alan Billings, South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner

 

Extracts from the article published in the 'Evening Standard:'

 

South Yorkshire Police relentlessly mocked after urging people to report one another for 'offensive or insulting words'

 

The article quotes this tweet from South Yorkshire Police:

 

In addition to reporting hate crime, please report non-crime hate incidents, which can include things like offensive or insulting comments, online, in person or in writing. Hate will not be tolerated in South Yorkshire. Report it and put a stop to it.

 

'It was relentlessly mocked, with more than 5,000 responses to the Sunday night post. Many people likened the force to George Orwell's "Thought Police” from his novel Nineteen Eighty-Four.'

 

'Scottish political analysis account Wings Over Scotland tweeted: “So just to be clear: you want me to phone the police when there hasn't been a crime but someone's feelings have been hurt?” '

 

Alan Billings, the South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner, has defended the force's view of its role - as having the right and the duty to investigate a whole range of incidents which aren't crimes. This, to me, is Alan Billings acting the part of South Yorkshire Thought Police and Hate Crime Commissioner.

 

Nick Ferrari interviewed Alan Billings on lbc radio. This gives a link to the interview, with other material.

 

https://www.lbc.co.uk/radio/presenters/nick-ferrari/nick-ferrari-tears-into-crime-commissioner/

 

Extracts:

 

'After South Yorkshire Police asked the public to report incidents in which they were offended, Nick Ferrari had this fiery clash with their Police and Crime Commissioner.

 

 

'In a time when the police are stretched due to budget cuts, Nick was furious that they are wasting resources on incidents that aren't even crimes.

 

'Speaking to Dr Alan Billings, South Yorkshire's Police and Crime Commissioner, Nick told him:


"If a motorist cuts another motorist up in Rotherham and one says the other a few choice words, we now have to get the police involved, do we?

 

' "You've got enough police men and women, do you, to come and talk to me about it?"

 

'And as Nick pressed Dr Billings on the plan, it fell apart more and more.

 

 

'The conversation even ended with Nick having to warn the Police and Crime Commissioner not to make comments about an incident as it was still a live court case.'

 

Alan Billings has identified 'Treating People Fairly' as one of the three 'Policing and Crime Priorities' in his glossy publication 'Keeping Safe: The Police and Crime Plan for South Yorkshire 2017 - 2021, Renewed 2019.'

 

Only a few categories of unfairness are discussed on the page 'Treating People Fairly,' for example these.

 

'Ethnic minorities point to the fact that they are disproportionately represented in the criminal justice system and may feel that they have undue police attention.'

 

Other minorities - such as LGBT ... - may say they are not recognized or understood as well as they should be. If hate crimes are to be properly recorded and investigated we need the police to understand what the issues are and what is at stake.'

 

And I hope that Dr Billings understands that people who don't belong to the communities he singles out can be treated unfairly by the police. I hope that Dr Billings understands that an accusation of hate crime can be completely unfair, completely unjust - and that the issuing of a Harassment Warning can be completely unfair, completely unjust.

 

Violent crime in South Yorkshire doesn't have a section to itself in the short list of Priorities. It's included in Priority 2, with anti-social behaviour and rates only a very brief mention: 'In 2018 we were anxious about the rise in violent crime, particularly stabbings.' This is followed by a few general comments, including this hope: ' ... we want to understand the reasons for the increase and we want to see it brought down.' Gun crime in South Yorkshire doesn't rate a mention at all, unlike the problem of off-road bikes:

 

'Often it is anti-social behaviour rather than crime that most disturbs people. For example, last year many told me how their lives were blighted by off-road bikes. I was pleased, therefore, when the police established their biker team that has been very successful in pursuing and apprehending those who cause nuisance - and crushing bikes.'

 

The police haven't been as successful in pursuing and apprehending those who cause much more than a nuisance.

 

In the same section, Dr Billings makes this claim: 'In South Yorkshire, all crime is investigated.' If he looks into the matter more closely, he'll find that the claim is completely false.

 

I'm a non-believer. Dr Billings isn't a non-believer. He describes himself as a retired Church of England priest. In 'Keeping Safe,' very unwisely, he includes, on Page 2, in very large, very prominent letters, this quotation from the Old Testament prophet Jeremiah:

 

'Seek the well-being of this place ... for in its well-being you will find your own.' Jeremiah 29:7.

 

His Foreword ends with this:

 

The overriding message for the coming year (2019-20) is that we must get better at working together for the common good. The prophet put it this way: 'Seek the well-being of the place where you are set ... for in its well-being you will find your own'. (Jeremiah 29:7.)

 

Jeremiah's words had a specific reference. Dr Billings ignores this and ignores the context. The complete text of Jeremiah 29.7, in the translation of the King James Bible:

 

'And seek the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captives, and pray unto the LORD for it: for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace.'

 

The New International Version translation:

 

'Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.'

 

There was, of course, absolutely no need for Dr Billings to include this quotation from an Old Testament prophet. He should have realized that he was writing for a community made up of many different groups - not just Church of England believers and other Christian believers but non-believers, people with no belief in God or the Bible, either the Bible as the inspired word of God or the Bible as a good guide to contemporary problems, a community which includes people with a wide range of religious but non-Christian views.

 

Police and Crime Commissioners have very great powers, including the power to remove a Chief Constable.

 

Hillsborough police chief who was fired last year after being accused of blaming the disaster on fans was "unlawfully" removed from his job, a court has found. 

 

The High Court ruled that David Crompton, the former chief constable in South Yorkshire, should not have been forced to resign by Dr Alan Billings, the region’s police and crime commissioner. 

 

Mr Crompton was removed because of a press release issued last April which alluded to "other contributory factors" outside of police conduct, which the jury found caused or contributed to the disaster. (Daily Telegraph, 19 June, 2017.)

 

So far, the relationship between Stephen Watson, the present Chief Constable of South Yorkshire Police, and Alan Billings seem very amicable. The 'Chief Constable's Message,' part of the document 'Keeping Safe,' goes much too far in promoting Dr Billing's Plan, which isn't in the least free from faults. The relationship between Chief Constable and Police and Crime Commissioner shouldn't be a symbiotic relationship in the least. The two have very different roles. in a system of checks and balances, responsibilities for oversight and operational decisions and so much else. As it is, the Chief Constable has gone in for a form of grovelling - or, rather, has made not nearly enough effort to preserve a healthy distance. He writes,

 

 

''The Police and Crime Plan sets out clear priorities for the force and I have an unshakeable intention to ensure that the plan is implemented and we achieve our objectives of keeping South Yorkshire a safe place to live, learn and work.'

 

The Plan sets out the views of one particular Church of England Priest. The Chief Constable has, or should have, a far greater knowledge of operational police matters than Dr Billings. His 'unshakeable intention to ensure that the plan is implemented' isn't desirable in the least. As for the objective of keeping South Yorkshire a safe place to live, learn and work, can this be achieved, as he claims. South Yorkshire can never become a completely safe place, unless the Chief Constable believes that he can completely end gun crime, knife crime and the other crimes that endanger the community. He's surely more realistic, less utopian, in his expectations? Police activity to make South Yorkshire safer surely won't be helped in the least by devoting time, money and other resources to problems such as the ones experienced by Andrew Conheeney, the 'Blundering Buffoons Problem.' Faced by harsh realities, the Chief Constable and Alan Billings refuse to admit that harsh realities demand that the police can't possibly meet all the demands placed on them. If someone calls someone else a 'blundering moron' on a couple of occasions then the police would be wasting police resources by pursuing the matter.

 

In his Plan, Dr Billings does write, 'The public need to understand ... how they can become resilient.' He ought to have qualified this statement, making a distinction between very serious setbacks and very minor setbacks. An example of a very serious one, being shot in the head but surviving the injury, being beaten up - nobody can expect the victim to recover recover quickly, to be 'resilient.' An example of a very minor setback - to give the example yet again, being called a 'blundering buffoon.'

  • Alan Billings attends an event of (endorses?) the Christian Police Association. The disturbing implications. Other acts (and comments) of his with disturbing implications.

     

    The Christian Police Association makes completely clear that Evangelism is one of its aims: the attempt to inform police colleagues and the general public about Christian belief in the hope of converting police colleagues and the general public to Christianity - their own version of Christianity. An extract from the Christian Police Association page

     

    https://cpauk.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/CPA-On-Off-Duty-1082-Aug-2021.pdf

     

     

    'OUR MISSION is to ... Communicate in words and action, the truth, message and hope of the gospel of Jesus Christ to colleagues and the community we serve.  OUR VISION is to see Colleagues and those we serve to know Jesus Christ personally.'

     

    The police service has to maintain neutrality and impartiality, to serve people in the community with very different religious beliefs and no religious beliefs, not in the least to engage in evangelism. South Yorkshire Police - and other police forces - need to consider very carefully the implications of the 'Mission Statement' and 'Vision Statement' and avoid endorsing the Christian Police Association. More than that, police forces need to remind members of the Association of their duties, to the community, which, with rare exceptions,  isn't in the least desperate to learn about the Gospel from police officers or anybody else.

      

    Sergeant Simon Kirkham, criticized in the columns to the left, is a member of the Christian Police Association, or was at the time of this report. He hasn't confirmed that he was the person who issued the instruction to two Police Constables to call and deliver to me the 'Community Protection Notice - Written Warning' to me. I asked if he could confirm this but he ignored the email and ignored my polite reminder.

     

     His faith and the faith of other members have implications. I mention some possible - likely - implications below, to me, hideous implications - I provide the evidence. I doubt if Dr Alan Billings, the South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner shares all the beliefs of the Christian Police Association, but I think he needs to make clear what his beliefs are, for example, whether or not he has the beliefs concerning salvation of the Christian Police Association. Is he an evader, or will he be willing to make a Declaration of Belief? Police and Crime Commissioners are expected to be impartial. It would be helpful if he could make clear what version of Christianity he believes in. 

     

    He attended the relaunch of the Christian Police Association, as reported in the newspaper 'The Star:'

     

    https://www.thestar.co.uk/news/christian-police-association-re-launched-sheffield-470835

     

    but the Association explicitly states its belief in 'Hell for All' (except for the tiny minority who accept Christ as their personal Lord and Saviour.)

     

    A bible reading and evening of celebration was held in Sheffield to mark the re-launch of the Christian Police Association at South Yorkshire Police.

     

    Members of the public joined South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner Dr Alan Billings, Chief Constable Stephen Watson, officers and police support staff at the Rock Christian Centre in Carlisle Street.

    Dr Billings and the chief were presented with specially commissioned South Yorkshire Police crested bibles by Thomas of Gideons International. Sergeant Simon Kirkham, a Rotherham police officer, delivered the reading to around 150 colleagues, support staff and members of the public who enjoyed music from the worship band.

    Lee Russell, executive director of the CPA and chief constable Stephen Watson made short speeches to welcome people to the event and endorse the local re-launch of the CPA.

    Stephen Watson, the Chief Constable of South Yorkshire Police, was mistaken in endorsing the Christian Police Association. The decision to attend of Alan Billings, the Police and Crime Commissioner for South Yorkshire and Stephen Watson, the Chief Constable at the time,  was a mistake. It could be claimed that he implicitly endorsed the Association and its hideousl misguided theology by attending. As I've pointed out, it's unclear what parts of the (hideous) theology he shares.

    This is an extract from a page of the Christian Police Association Website,

    https://www.cpauk.net/our-faith/

    after I've commented on the standard evangelical beliefs and some of their implications. Perhaps Sergeant Kirkham and other Christian police staff could state whether or not they have these beliefs. (Although I think it's very unlikely that they will oblige.) I could have given many more, of course. I give other examples on other pages of the site. Some beliefs, then:

    The belief that all serving police staff of South Yorkshire Police are destined for eternal separation from God if they never make the decision to accept Christ as Lord and Saviour. Eternity: a very long sentence indeed, an inconceivable long, a grotesquely harsh sentence, to me,  the product of an ignorant and grotesquely  cruel mind-set.

     

    The belief that everyone helped by South Yorkshire Police, or arrested by South Yorkshire Police (some or many of them later learning the error of their ways) are destined for eternal separation from God if they never make the decision to accept Christ as Lord and Saviour.

     

    The belief that people convicted of horrific crimes, such as the rape of children, terrorist acts which kill and injure innocent people, are not destined for eternal punishment if they have the necessary qualification for eternal union with God: belief in Christ as Lord and Saviour.

     

    Extracts, then, from the Christian Police Association site:

     

    Faith

     

    The Christian Police Association is non-denominational. In other words, we have members who are Baptist, Church of England, Methodist, Episcopalians and Presbyterians and from many of the other mainstream traditions. We are also a member of the Evangelical Alliance. What unites us is our belief in the following principles found in the Bible:

     

     

    • We Believe

       

      That the Bible, as originally given, is the inspired Word of God without error and is the only complete authority in all matters of faith and doctrine.
      That sin entered the world when man chose to disobey God and please himself. Since then sin has affected the core of humanity, touching every part of our nature and being.
      That it is only by God’s grace and mercy that the sinful person is made right with Him through faith in Jesus Christ alone.

       

    • We Believe

       

      That the soul of a person is eternal and that there will be a physical resurrection of the body for everyone who will then be judged by the Lord Jesus Christ. Those who have died having believed and received forgiveness will be raised, and together with those believers who are still alive, will be taken to live with Christ forever. Those who have refused to believe will be condemned from God’s presence forever.


      That all Christians have an obligation to demonstrate their true allegiance to Christ by obeying His commands and living lives that please Him.

       

      Highly recommended, a reading of this article on the courage and sacrifices of Birmingham police officers killed during the Blitz.

       

      https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/local-news/from-the-archives-police-heroes-gave-their-lives-164128

       

       I don't know how many of them were Christians - not nominal Christians but people who had 'accepted Christ as personal Lord and Saviour' - but the doctrine that the police offficers who have 'refused' to believe or never got round to considering the issue were 'condemned from God's presence forever.' This doctrine of eternal separation, eternal punishment, Hell, however it's to be described, is truly hideous. The Christian Police Association should be ashamed.

       

      As for the belief that 'the Bible, as originally given, is the inspired Word of God without error and is the only complete authority in all matters of faith and doctrine' I quote some verses which they may believe is 'the inspired Word of God and without error' but which less credulous people will refuse to accept. These are verses I've already quoted quite often in my other pages on Christian belief. I could give many other examples, embarrassing to evangelical Christians and many other Christians but simply a sign that this belief is hopelessly misguided, but far more than simply misguided.

       

      Sergeant Simon Kirkham could try his hand at theological explication but many academic evangelical theologians are hesitant aboutz defending these primitive views.

       

      Some examples of 'God's Word,' according to fundamentalist and near-fundamentalist Christians:

       

      Psalm 137, extract

       

      Babylon, you will be destroyed.
      Happy are those who pay you back
      for what you have done to us -
      who take your babies
      and smash them against a rock.

       

      Exodus 22:18

       

      Put to death any woman who practises witchcraft

       

      Do I think that Sergeant Kirkham showed Christian bias when he made the decision (if it was Sergeant Kirkham who made the decision) to send out police officers to my house to present the Community Protection Notice in response to a complaint by a Christian, Lu Skerratt-Love? I couldn't possibly present conclusive evidence that he was biased. I'll simply make the point that when a Christian police officer is considering a case which involves a fellow Christian, the police officer has to take every case to show neutrality. I'll state this opinion. I think it's unlikely that a non-Christian or anti-Christian police officer would come to the same decision in this case.

      Apart from the issue of Christianity, I take the view that the decision made in this case wasn't a victory for common sense but a ridiculous use of police time and resources. There are large numbers of Councillors and MP's, past and present, exposed to grossly abusive language and false claims over long periods of time. The extent of the assistance given to Lu Skerratt-Love in these matters has been surprising. Lu Skerratt-Love seems to have assumed that she was entitled to action from South Yorkshire Police whenever she made a complaint against me. She seems to have assumed that she was entitled to action, in the knowledge that there are so many other demands on police time and police resources - I hope she has this knowledge, that she recognizes the problem of scare resources and massive demands. Is she willing now to provide the evidence which should have been provided to the police at the time of the complaints, so that the police could have made an informed decision as to whether or not to proceed with action, or would that be too much to ask? The police officers who have dealt with her multiple complaints should have asked for evidence, but seem not to have done that. Their multiple failures have had consequences. If they want to defend their action (and their seeming inaction) then I'll be glad if I could be informed.

      Alan Billings, the South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner has identified 'Treating People Fairly' as one of the three 'Policing and Crime Priorities' in his glossy publication 'Keeping Safe: The Police and Crime Plan for South Yorkshire 2017 - 2021, Renewed 2019.'

       

      Only a few categories of unfairness are discussed on the page 'Treating People Fairly,' for example these:

       

      'Ethnic minorities point to the fact that they are disproportionately represented in the criminal justice system and may feel that they have undue police attention.'

       

      Other minorities - such as LGBT ... - may say they are not recognized or understood as well as they should be. If hate crimes are to be properly recorded and investigated we need the police to understand what the issues are and what is at stake.'

       

      Dr Billings must understand that people who don't belong to the communities he singles out can be treated unfairly by the police. I hope that Dr Billings understands that an accusation of hate crime can be completely unfair, completely unjust - and that the issuing of a Harassment Warning can be completely unfair, completely unjust.

       

      Violent crime in South Yorkshire doesn't have a section to itself in the short list of Priorities. It's included in Priority 2, with anti-social behaviour and rates only a very brief mention: 'In 2018 we were anxious about the rise in violent crime, particularly stabbings.' This is followed by a few general comments, including this hope: ' ... we want to understand the reasons for the increase and we want to see it brought down.' Gun crime in South Yorkshire doesn't rate a mention at all, unlike the problem of off-road bikes:

       

      'Often it is anti-social behaviour rather than crime that most disturbs people. For example, last year many told me how their lives were blighted by off-road bikes. I was pleased, therefore, when the police established their biker team that has been very successful in pursuing and apprehending those who cause nuisance - and crushing bikes.'

       

      The police haven't been as successful in pursuing and apprehending those who cause much more than a nuisance.

       

      In the same section, Dr Billings makes this claim:

       

      'In South Yorkshire, all crime is investigated.'

       

      It's alarming that someone in his position, with his power can make such a ridiculous claim. f he looks into the matter more closely, he'll find that the claim is completely false.

       

      I'm a non-believer. Dr Billings isn't a non-believer. He describes himself as a retired Church of England priest. In 'Keeping Safe,' very unwisely, he includes, on Page 2, in very large, very prominent letters, this quotation from the Old Testament prophet Jeremiah:

       

      'Seek the well-being of this place ... for in its well-being you will find your own.' Jeremiah 29:7.

       

      His Foreword ends with this:

       

      The overriding message for the coming year (2019-20) is that we must get better at working together for the common good. The prophet put it this way: 'Seek the well-being of the place where you are set ... for in its well-being you will find your own'. (Jeremiah 29:7.)

       

      Jeremiah's words had a specific reference. Dr Billings ignores this and ignores the context. The complete text of Jeremiah 29.7, in the translation of the King James Bible:

       

      'And seek the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captives, and pray unto the LORD for it: for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace.'

       

      The New International Version translation:

       

      'Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.'

       

      'If it prospers, so will you.' Is this necessarily the case? Not in the least. Does the second statement necessarily follow from the first? Not at all.

       

      There was, of course, absolutely no need for Dr Billings to include this quotation from an Old Testament prophet. He should have realized that he was writing for a community made up of many different groups - not just Church of England believers and other Christian believers but non-believers, people with no belief in God or the Bible, either the Bible as the inspired word of God or the Bible as a good guide to contemporary problems, a community which includes people with a wide range of religious and a wide-range of non-Christian views.

       

      My page

      www.linkagenet.com/themes/fefe.htm

       

      has material on  the Sheffield Church organisation 'Arise' which includes a very large number of Churches and Church organisations, including ones without a Safeguarding Officer or Safeguarding Police, Fire and Brimstone Churches, many, many Churches promoting a belief in Hellfire for All - except for the tiny minority who accept Christ as their personal Lord and Saviour - in a more restrained way.

       

      Members of 'Arise!' 'prayer-walked' every street in Sheffield, believing that this was the way to transform Sheffield, not the way which recognizes the difficulty and intractability of so many problems, physical, social, personal, often calling for sustained hard work, with no guarantee of success.

       

      From the 'Arise!' Website. It refers to the same text from Jeremiah used by Dr Billings:

      “The prophet Jeremiah summoned the exiled people of God to seek the welfare of their city and to pray to the LORD on its behalf.  To be in exile is to be living in a situation we would not choose.  How better then, to respond to the present pandemic than by taking up that ancient challenge, praying to the LORD for our city of Sheffield and by seeking its welfare in the coming months. Arise Sheffield provides us with that opportunity and I commend it to you — with confidence in the Gospel and joy in the Spirit.”

       

      – Rt Revd Dr Pete Wilcox, Bishop of Sheffield

       

      So the Bishop of Sheffield thinks that the best way to respond to the Covid pandemic is prayer? Over the centuries, Christians generally believed that the best way to respond to outbreaks of cholera, smallpox, the plague, other infectious diseases, natural disasters such as earthquakes was by prayer. A proportion thought that killing Jews would help.

       

      Will 'prayer-walking' solve such problems as gun crime or attacks on the police, fire crews and other members of the emergency services or fly-tipping?

       

       Can 'Arise!, provide any evidence showing   an upsurge in the numbers attending church services after the Miracle of the Distribution of the Leaflets, the delivery of 240,000 Sheffield-themed Easter cards, one to every home in Sheffield, it's claimed. Did many people take up 'the opportunity to connect with someone from a church near them?' Or did most people consign them to the blue waste paper bin along with the rest of the unsolicited mail?

       

      Supplementary material:

       

      On 28 January 2019, a letter of mine was published in the Sheffield newspaper 'The Star,' with the heading 'Can public C of E services be defended?'

       

      An extract:

      'According to the British Social Attitudes Survey, affiliation with the Church of England (C of E) has never been lower in all age groups: it amounts to only 2 per cent of young adults.

       

      'What can justify the C of E’s dominant role in Remembrance Sunday commemorations, then? I attend the event in the city centre or at Weston Park. Like ones throughout the country, it takes the form of a C of E service.

       

      'There are many, many prayers and after each one, this is the expected response (as given in the Order of Service booklet):

       

      'All Hear our prayer

       

      'What is a non-believer or a believer in another religion to do? Mumble insincerely? Stay silent? Should non-believers pretend to believe in the power of prayer, or in the Trinity – the doctrine that there’s God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit (also in the booklet)? We attend to remember the fallen, to show gratitude for their sacrifice, to show gratitude and appreciation for present members of the armed forces, not to witness a C of E service. '

       

      Dr Billings made a comment on the Website of the newspaper but declined to address the problem. His view seems to entail a view of the Church of England as having a privileged position in the civic life and wider activities of this country. In addition to receiving his view of South Yorkshire Police's conduct in my case, whether he chooses to defend the force or to criticize it, I'd be interested in receiving his view of the Church's role in Remembrance Sunday events - does he support the continuance of the status quo or not? Perhaps he thinks that the views of non-believers like myself can safely be disregarded.

       

      Police and Crime Commissioners have very great powers, including the power to remove a Chief Constable.

       

      'Hillsborough police chief who was fired last year after being accused of blaming the disaster on fans was "unlawfully" removed from his job,' a court has found. 

       

      The High Court ruled that David Crompton, the former chief constable in South Yorkshire, should not have been forced to resign by Dr Alan Billings, the region’s police and crime commissioner. 

       

      Mr Crompton was removed because of a press release issued last April which alluded to "other contributory factors" outside of police conduct, which the jury found caused or contributed to the disaster. (Daily Telegraph, 19 June, 2017.)

       

      The relationship between Stephen Watson, the last Chief Constable of South Yorkshire Police, and Alan Billings seemed very amicable. The 'Chief Constable's Message,' part of the document 'Keeping Safe,' goes much too far in promoting Dr Billing's Plan, which isn't in the least free from faults.

       

      The relationship between Chief Constable and Police and Crime Commissioner shouldn't be a symbiotic relationship in the least. The two have very different roles. in a system of checks and balances, responsibilities for oversight and operational decisions and so much else. As it is, the Chief Constable has gone in for a form of grovelling - or, rather, has made not nearly enough effort to preserve a healthy distance. He writes,

       

      ''The Police and Crime Plan sets out clear priorities for the force and I have an unshakeable intention to ensure that the plan is implemented and we achieve our objectives of keeping South Yorkshire a safe place to live, learn and work.'

       

      The Plan sets out the views of one particular Church of England 'Priest.' The Chief Constable has, or should have, a far greater knowledge of operational police matters than Dr Billings. His 'unshakeable intention to ensure that the plan is implemented' isn't desirable in the least. As for the objective of keeping South Yorkshire a safe place to live, learn and work, can this be achieved, as he claims, South Yorkshire can never become a completely safe place, unless the Chief Constable believes that he can completely end gun crime, knife crime and the other crimes that endanger the community. He's surely more realistic, less utopian, in his expectations?

       

      The Chief Constable attended the relaunch of the Christian Police Association, the 'Hellfire and Heaven  Association.'

       

      Police activity to make South Yorkshire safer surely won't be helped in the least by devoting time, money and other resources to problems such as the ones experienced by Andrew Conheeney, the 'Blundering Buffoons Problem.' Faced by harsh realities, the Chief Constable and Alan Billings refuse to admit that harsh realities demand that the police can't possibly meet all the demands placed on them. If someone calls someone else a 'blundering moron' on a couple of occasions then the police would be wasting police resources by pursuing the matter.

       

      In his Plan, Dr Billings does write, 'The public need to understand ... how they can become resilient.' He ought to have qualified this statement, making a distinction between very serious setbacks and very minor setbacks. An example of a very serious one, being shot in the head but surviving the injury. An example of a very minor setback - to give the example yet again, being called a 'blundering buffoon.'

       

     

    Alan Billings: South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner