No record of how many police are also freemasons
THERE is no official record of how many police officers in North Devon and Torridge are freemasons, a force spokesman has confirmed.
The
-
Devon and Cornwall Police
Journal
, which this month revealed the results of an investigation into freemasonry and local councillors, asked Devon and Cornwall Police how many local officers were members of the society. The force said it did not keep a register of which police officers were freemasons.
The only organisations officers are forbidden from joining are the British National Party (BNP), Combat 18 and National Front.
The spokesman said: "There is no restriction on membership of other societies or organisations provided it does not conflict with their current role or post. It is a managerial issue based on individual circumstances as to whether there is the possibility of a conflict."
The police, councils and the judiciary have in the past been associated with freemasonry and a voluntary system of registering membership was introduced by some forces in the 1990s.
In March 1997, a Home Affairs Committee inquiry recommended that "police officers, magistrates, judges, and crown prosecutors should be required to register membership of any secret society and that the record should be available publicly."
The inquiry reported there was "a large number of freemasons within the criminal justice system, but the numbers in themselves give no general cause for concern".
The report went on: "Where it is not entirely groundless, most or all of the evidence alleging masonic corruption in the field of policing is largely circumstantial . . . It is not possible on the evidence we received to say that there has never been any abuse of masonic contacts and certainly there are many allegations."
The inquiry's recommendation to oblige police officers to declare membership was not passed by the Government although there were calls for transparency.
Judges and magistrates, including those in North Devon, are not obliged to declare masonic membership.
The
Journal
surveyed all district councillors in North Devon and Torridge about freemasonry and local politics and found that 15% of members were or had been masons.
● Are you a police officer with a view about freemasonry, good or bad? Phone 01271 347430 or email awilshaw@c-dm.co.uk
12 Comments
View all
by RCM, USA
Monday, November 09 2009, 7:09PM
“No, and I guess there's no record kept of how many police are Jewish either, or Roman Catholic. Maybe all three should be outed and required to wear some little identifying mark on their clothing, just so we all know with whom we are dealing. That system worked quite well in another totalitarian society. God, I feel so sorry for Britain, all my life I've been very proud of my English heritage, but when I see the paranoid nonsense like this and the abolition of freedom in the UK, I really lose hope for the world.
Really, identify Freemasons?? You would do better to identify Muslims. Have you heard of a place in the US called "Fort Hood" lately? That's what comes of blithely ignoring the really dangerous people [because that might be DISCRIMINATION!] and looking instead to these ludicrous obsessions.
Britain, I pity you.”
by Rich, North Devon
Tuesday, November 03 2009, 11:40PM
“Well done to the NDJ for raising this issue but I fear the stealthly influence of Freemasonry will continue in North Devon.
I think North Devon is just the kind of quiet provincial backwater where Freemasonry can lay deep roots and thrive without anyone really noticing.”
by leanne carter, ilfracombe
Tuesday, November 03 2009, 4:02PM
“yea, Tom, why don't you TELL us exactly what work you do instead of referring us to some 3rd party website......”
by Mark, North Devon
Tuesday, November 03 2009, 12:50PM
“I believe Freemasonry exists within the North Devon Police, and that influence can be applied by retired officers who are Freemasons and serving Officers who are also members of this organisation.
I have had first hand experience of the levels of pressure and influence that can be applied by the Freemasons during an investigation by the Police. It proved unsuccessful in the end with the Independent Police Complaints Commission now investigating the matter.
It is wrong that Freemasons try and insert this influence over the judicial system, when members of the public who are not Freemasons are clearly disadvantaged.
We live in a democratic country and would expect the Police to be transparent and unbiased in their investigation work.
All serving Officers, and members of the judicial system should have to disclose their membership or dealings with the Freemasons.”
by Robocop, on the beat
Monday, November 02 2009, 11:00PM
“The comparison made between Freemasonry and Vegitarianism is rediculous.
Obviously the verdict of a vegetarian Judge would not be skewed by the fact that the defendent was also a fellow vegetarian. not unless he had been charged with theiving from a butchers shop anyway.
And of course there is probably little hard evidence that the objectivity of freemasons employed to police our society has been comprimised - because we dont know which policemen are indeed freemasons - duh. Although i'm sure there are large amounts of anacdotal evidence.
But if freemasonry, and its members who hold such positions of influence, have nothing to hide, then whats the issue with disclosing this information?
Surely the main perk of becoming a Freemason (rather than anonamously raising money for charity) is in fact to gain some kind of an advantage. But this could frequently be at the expence of someone whom doesnt hold such membership, and the potential for this to influence our judicial system in particular, is surely unacceptable?”