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Police officers who practise witchcraft to get Pagan Police Association and their own religious holidays
By Stephen Wright
Last updated at 8:36 AM on 17th July 2009
Once it stood simply for Police Constable.
But now PC could equally mean Pagan Cop.
Witches, druids and followers of the Norse gods in police forces throughout the country have persuaded the Home Office to let them set up a support group.
The Pagan Police Association will help officers who cast spells and join midnight rituals to fit their beliefs around their police work
Crowds of pagans, druids and tourists gather at Stonehenge to celebrate the winter solstice. The police force was this week given permission by the Home Office to create a Pagan Police Association
The force is with them: Druids at Stonehenge winter solstice. The police were this week given permission by the Home Office to create a Pagan Police Association
They are likely be given special dispensation to take days off on the eight pagan holidays of the year, including Halloween and the summer solstice, though these will have to come out of their annual leave.
The driving force behind the association is PC Andy Pardy of Hertfordshire Police, who met Home Office chiefs earlier this week.
A policeman for seven years, he is a heathen – which means he worships Norse gods including hammer-wielding Thor, one-eyed Odin and Freyr, the god of fertility who is equipped with a huge phallus.
He told Police Review magazine: ‘Paganism is not the new-age, tree-hugging fad that some people think it is. Nor is it a clandestine, horrible, evil thing.
‘A lot of people think it is about dancing naked around a fire, but the rituals are not like that.
‘It involves chanting, music, meditation and reading passages. For pagans, these have the same power as prayer does for Christians.’
PC Pardy added: ‘It has been practised in this country since before the concept of God arrived. It is all about dedication to nature.
‘Most pagans practise some kind of conservation work as well, to give something back to the planet.’
The Office of National Statistics said there were 30,500 adherents to paganism in England and Wales in 2001.
Last year the Home Office introduced a pagan oath for use in courts.
Police sources estimate there are more than 500 pagan officers in the UK.
Pagans have many gods and their practices include witchcraft and druidism Pre-Christian belief: Pagan practices include witchcraft and druidism. Druids are pictured here on Primrose Hill in London before an Autumn Equinox service
One of them is even planning to publish details of his spells to help colleagues gain promotion or overcome illness.
PC Andy Hill of Staffordshire Police is a Wiccan (witch) and the founder of the
Pagan Police Group UK, a website for like-minded officers and their families which is scheduled to launch on August
1. He said the spells can involve recitations, altars, flowers and herbs.
Heathen representative: The officer who spoke to the Home Office is a heathen, who worship Norse gods such as Thor
Heathen representative: The officer who spoke to the Home Office is a heathen, which worship Norse gods like Thor
PC Hill added: ‘This is nothing to do with black magic or devil-worshipping. Witchcraft is not the hocus pocus, puff of smoke, turning people into frogs stuff you see on television. It is working with nature for good.’
He also plans to work with his police
bosses – he will wait for their authorisation before putting his spells online.
A spokesman for the Home Office confirmed the meeting with PC Pardy this week but stressed it was not funding his new organisation.
He added: ‘The Government wants a police service that reflects the diverse communities it serves.
‘It is down to individual forces to make reasonable adjustments to accommodate the religion or beliefs of individual officers, as far as operational requirements permit.’
Superintendent Simon Hawkins of Hertfordshire Police said: ‘The force strives to provide a receptive environment for all its staff and has a commitment to meet the diverse needs of all who work for us and the public we serve.’
‘While balancing operational needs, the force’s religion and beliefs policy gives all staff the choice of re-allocating the traditional Christian bank holidays to suit their personal faith.
‘This has been very well received by a number of faith groups, including Muslims and Jews.’
He said PC Pardy had also written ‘very informative’ details on paganism for the force’s internal website on diversity.
Superintendent Hawkins also said the force had appointed two pagan chaplains in the last 12 months.
He added: ‘They take an active role in faith meetings and the work of the force.’
Hertfordshire Police also stressed that the new pagan support group would not be costing the force anything.
But critics see the Police Pagan Association as the latest example of the remorseless spread of another kind of PC – political correctness.
Read more: Police officers who practice witchcraft to get Pagan Police Association and their own religious holidays | Mail Online
By Stephen Wright
Last updated at 8:36 AM on 17th July 2009
Once it stood simply for Police Constable.
But now PC could equally mean Pagan Cop.
Witches, druids and followers of the Norse gods in police forces throughout the country have persuaded the Home Office to let them set up a support group.
The Pagan Police Association will help officers who cast spells and join midnight rituals to fit their beliefs around their police work
Crowds of pagans, druids and tourists gather at Stonehenge to celebrate the winter solstice. The police force was this week given permission by the Home Office to create a Pagan Police Association
The force is with them: Druids at Stonehenge winter solstice. The police were this week given permission by the Home Office to create a Pagan Police Association
They are likely be given special dispensation to take days off on the eight pagan holidays of the year, including Halloween and the summer solstice, though these will have to come out of their annual leave.
The driving force behind the association is PC Andy Pardy of Hertfordshire Police, who met Home Office chiefs earlier this week.
A policeman for seven years, he is a heathen – which means he worships Norse gods including hammer-wielding Thor, one-eyed Odin and Freyr, the god of fertility who is equipped with a huge phallus.
He told Police Review magazine: ‘Paganism is not the new-age, tree-hugging fad that some people think it is. Nor is it a clandestine, horrible, evil thing.
‘A lot of people think it is about dancing naked around a fire, but the rituals are not like that.
‘It involves chanting, music, meditation and reading passages. For pagans, these have the same power as prayer does for Christians.’
PC Pardy added: ‘It has been practised in this country since before the concept of God arrived. It is all about dedication to nature.
‘Most pagans practise some kind of conservation work as well, to give something back to the planet.’
The Office of National Statistics said there were 30,500 adherents to paganism in England and Wales in 2001.
Last year the Home Office introduced a pagan oath for use in courts.
Police sources estimate there are more than 500 pagan officers in the UK.
Pagans have many gods and their practices include witchcraft and druidism Pre-Christian belief: Pagan practices include witchcraft and druidism. Druids are pictured here on Primrose Hill in London before an Autumn Equinox service
One of them is even planning to publish details of his spells to help colleagues gain promotion or overcome illness.
PC Andy Hill of Staffordshire Police is a Wiccan (witch) and the founder of the
Pagan Police Group UK, a website for like-minded officers and their families which is scheduled to launch on August
1. He said the spells can involve recitations, altars, flowers and herbs.
Heathen representative: The officer who spoke to the Home Office is a heathen, who worship Norse gods such as Thor
Heathen representative: The officer who spoke to the Home Office is a heathen, which worship Norse gods like Thor
PC Hill added: ‘This is nothing to do with black magic or devil-worshipping. Witchcraft is not the hocus pocus, puff of smoke, turning people into frogs stuff you see on television. It is working with nature for good.’
He also plans to work with his police
bosses – he will wait for their authorisation before putting his spells online.
A spokesman for the Home Office confirmed the meeting with PC Pardy this week but stressed it was not funding his new organisation.
He added: ‘The Government wants a police service that reflects the diverse communities it serves.
‘It is down to individual forces to make reasonable adjustments to accommodate the religion or beliefs of individual officers, as far as operational requirements permit.’
Superintendent Simon Hawkins of Hertfordshire Police said: ‘The force strives to provide a receptive environment for all its staff and has a commitment to meet the diverse needs of all who work for us and the public we serve.’
‘While balancing operational needs, the force’s religion and beliefs policy gives all staff the choice of re-allocating the traditional Christian bank holidays to suit their personal faith.
‘This has been very well received by a number of faith groups, including Muslims and Jews.’
He said PC Pardy had also written ‘very informative’ details on paganism for the force’s internal website on diversity.
Superintendent Hawkins also said the force had appointed two pagan chaplains in the last 12 months.
He added: ‘They take an active role in faith meetings and the work of the force.’
Hertfordshire Police also stressed that the new pagan support group would not be costing the force anything.
But critics see the Police Pagan Association as the latest example of the remorseless spread of another kind of PC – political correctness.
Read more: Police officers who practice witchcraft to get Pagan Police Association and their own religious holidays | Mail Online
