I guess the Cincinnati Police Department has given up. They can’t figure out how to stop crime so they’re now teaming up with pastors and members of 25 local congregations to walk and pray through the city:

The groups involved are extending an invitation for all citizens to participate in the first of seven prayer walks to be held on Saturday afternoons over the next two months. Groups will meet at participating houses of worship. As they walk together, participants will pray for peace against violence which has plagued Cincinnati.

Seven prayer walks for peace. All with the approval and support of the Cincinnati Police Department. (The CPD actually came up with the idea.)

While prayer was a major focal point of Saturday’s spiritual protests against crime, the congregations weren’t alone their efforts. They were joined by members of the Cincinnati Police Department, which helped come up with the initiative. Police officials and church leaders have mutually extended an invitation to all members of the community, regardless of their religious beliefs, to join in similar hour-long walks over the next few weeks. They’ll be held every Saturday at 4 p.m through Nov. 16.

Just to be clear, I have no problem with the church members doing the walks — They’re free to waste their time as they see fit. But why is the local police department sponsoring this religious event? That’s not their job, nor should they be endorsing prayer as a solution for anything. Hell, beyond the unconstitutionality of it, that’s precisely the opposite of the sort of tangible solutions police departments are supposed to offer a community!

I’ve sent them a request for comment and alerted the Freedom From Religion Foundation about what they’re doing.



