They are also aware that the statement that "...being a Police officer is an inherently dangerous occupation that comes with significant risks...'' is absolutely correct, as recently illustrated by the death last month of Gold Coast detective Damian Leeding when he was apprehending an armed hold-up gang.
Queensland's Acting Police Minister Andrew Fraser was recently quoted within an article in the Courier Mail, which also stated that two hundred assaults a month are being recorded against Queensland police. There are serious concerns the violence is escalating because officers are losing community respect, and that drugs and alcohol-led violence seem to be escalating problems that exacerbate this effect.
It then proceeds to offer a range of reasons as to why the Police might be losing community support, and on the other hand, ways in which politicians are willing to establish a mandatory sentencing system on seriously assaulting police officers.
After reading this article, Well-Being Australia chairman, Mark Tronson, reflected on role of a police chaplain. Although this is like any other 'community chaplaincy' ministry in that the chaplain is dealing with grass roots issues, the chaplain also needs to be aware of the danger that policemen and women are under at all times, and the stresses this imposes on their regular workaday roles.
Civil Libertarian Terry O'Gorman was quoted as saying that "policing used to be an exercise in talking down and reason, now far too often it's aggressive behaviour by the police which then escalates", however police chaplains recognise that police officers often tread the thin blue line where they are placed in unenviable situations with people fuelled by drugs, alcohol or emotional distress are on the other side of that line. And it is a very thin line, indeed.
Moreover, the police chaplains recognise that most people out there have not recognised that the policemen and women are never the final arbiter. Ultimately matters that have been detected by the police (whether a speeding offence, theft, assault, or more serious crimes) are adjudicated not by the police, but by the courts.
Meanwhile, the police remain on the beat (so to speak) and face danger every time they are in public view.
In the above article cited, Queensland Police Union president Ian Leavers said: "Now a lot of police have tertiary education, or a trade. They have other options to go to and I think we will lose them because why would you stay?''
This it seems is a crucial question politicians need to address, but meantime the police chaplains are serving this 'blue' community and are on-call 24/7.