Police pray for criminals

OFFICERS at Epworth Police Station have expressed their willingness to engage members of the public in fighting crime by conducting church services following an increase in suicide, rape and murder cases.

Officer commanding Chitungwiza District Chief Superintendent Steven Kazingizi invited Chaplain General of Police, Assistant Commissioner Jeremiah Doyce to lead a church service where 20 civilians gave their lives to God.

"We have decided to conduct church services where we seek our Lord Jesus Christ in dealing with issues such as suicidal cases that are prevalent in this area," said Chief Supt Kazingizi.

"Besides engaging other strategies to fight crime, we met as a district and decided to have these church services and we will be rotating.

"As ZRP, we are now praying for the community and we will continue to engage the community, meeting church leaders to come along and fight crime together.

"In community policing, we have engaged Christian Church Police Network where various church leaders come as stakeholders in fighting crime and I want to thank church leaders and members of the public for attending the church service in their numbers.

"Police need the community to fight crime and this marriage will go a long way in fighting crime," said Chief Supt Kazingizi.

After sharing a message of hope with the message centered on Jesus Christ, Ass-Comm Doyce, who is also a church Reverend, urged members of the public to work together with police saying they are their sons and daughters with a duty to preach peace.

"Jesus Christ died for our sins and whosoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life, receive Christ and your life will never be the same," said Rev Doyce.

"Some people think that a Christian and a member of the police service are incompatible, that is not true members of the police are our sons and daughters on a mission to preach peace and stability.

"They are law enforcement agencies who take people robbing you, killing people and other crimes to appear before courts for justice.

"It is God's ministry and they professionally arrest suspects and I urge members of the public to pray for our sons and daughters in police.

"Our Commissioner General of Police made it sure that all police stations have a chaplain who prays for police officers and deal with issues brought to police for advice.

"Members of the public are free to join police officers in their interdenominational fellowship, we are tired of evil spirits taking people's lives through suicides, rape cases and murder cases," Rev Doyce.

Pastor Sydney Chiriri of God's Will and Faith Ministries hailed police for exchanging handcuffs with good news to the community.

"I enjoyed the church service where police officers exchanged handcuffs with good news, many see police officers in a negative way but if they warn people through the word of God, I want to believe this will reduce crime," said Pastor Chiriri.

"Epworth needs God and all criminals use Epworth as a criminal haven and all those accommodating these criminals end up doing evil things as well.

"I want to thank those who gave their life to God and Rev Doyce urged them to join churches of their choice as long they read the Bible which he said is the manual of life," said Pastor Chiriri.

The service was attended by various church leaders, school children, teachers and captains of industries and health workers among others.