ABSTRACT
Policing has become an increasingly complex and challenging profession with many strategic and operational considerations to take into account to develop a service that is community focused, representative, and that has earned the trust and confidence of citizens. Police organisations across the world have been responding to the wide-ranging needs of a more global society that are becoming much more diverse in a range of ways, including that of religion. The need for police officers to be able to understand the wide range of needs of communities across the religious spectrum is critical to the success of a community-focused policing service. In this chapter the issue of religion in police training for new recruits will be explored. This will include an examination of the theoretical foundation behind awareness and development training in respect of religion and policing. It will also bring together key concepts of police professionalism, community policing, trust, and confidence to a discussion on the role of training and development in supporting religious communities.
