Police defy force with Masonic lodge
Senior police officers have defied official disapproval and established a new Masonic lodge despite widespread public fears about the influence of the secret society on the criminal justice system.
Senior police officers have defied official disapproval and established a new Masonic lodge despite widespread public fears about the influence of the secret society on the criminal justice system.
The police-only lodge has been set up by officers from the West Mercia force area which covers Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Shropshire.
The West Mercia Lodge No 9719 was consecrated on 10 June in the village of Craven Arms, near Ludlow, Shropshire, with more than 200 seniorMasons in attendance. It is the 11th police-only lodge in Britain and the second in the West Midlands area - the other is in Worcester.
A list of “founders and first officers” of the lodge named 34 serving and retired officers in the lodge of the rank of chief inspector downwards. A further 11 officers are expected to join at the next meeting, which will take place in September.
Peter Neyroud, Assistant Chief Constable at West Mercia, confirmed that one of the new lodge’s officers wrote to him in February to inform him of the move, but the force is clearly unhappy about it. “The constabulary would not encourage officers to become Freemasons in view of widespread public concerns over the need for transparency in police relationships with the community,” Mr Neyroud said.
“If, despite this, officers make the individual decision to become Freemasons, the force would strongly encourage them to register this membership in the existing register of individuals’ interests.”
There has been growing public suspicion about the grip of Freemasonry on police officers. Following a number of scandals, in which Masonic influence was alleged - such as the investigation into the West Midlands Serious Crime Squad in the early Nineties - many people believe the all-male society has malign influence over some parts of the criminal justice system.
The first worshipful master of the lodge is Chief Inspector A W Sykes, who is based in Shrewsbury. Mr Sykes declined to comment. John Hamill, of the United Grand Lodge, said the Masons thought Mr Nayroud’s fears were “ill founded”.
Police chiefs have been split over how to respond to growing pressure from ministers and MPs for officers to declare whether they are Freemasons.
The Chief Constable of Merseyside, Norman Bettison, launched a general register of officers’ interests by writing to his force last summer stating that he had no reason to question the integrity of Masons and he had good friends who were members of lodges.
The Chief Constable of Norfolk, Ken Williams, has said he does not believe membership of the Masons is compatible with being a police officer, primarily because of the public’s negative view of the society.
The Commons Select Committee on Home Affairs ran an inquiry into Freemasonry in 1998-1999, and last year Jack Straw, the Home Secretary, announced a trial voluntary register for police officers to declare if they were Freemasons. Parallel steps have been taken for judges, probation officers and Crown Prosecution Service staff.
West Mercia said the force had a register of officers’ outside interests but it was not a public document. It refused to say how many of the new lodge had declared membership of the Masons.
A member of the select committee, Robin Corbett, Labour MP for Birmingham Erdington, said the signs were that the voluntary register had failed. “We now believe that a register needs to be mandatory and public,” he said, adding that the Home Office was a year overdue in responding to the committee’s report.
“We are aware we owe the committee a response which we hope to deliver shortly,” a Home Office spokesman said. “We would consider primary legislation if the voluntary arrangements proved to be ineffective.”
Tags: Cronyism, Freemasonry, Secret Societies
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October 5th, 2008 at 10:57 pm
This week the historic event of the resignation of Police Chief Ian Blair came about very unexpectedly, poor man. The controversy over the murder of the Brazilian electrician without provocation in the Stockwell Road tube station would not go away. He is surely to be missed by someone.
Unfortunately, the police, the law courts and other societal divisions exerting a certain “class” (and amount of class) are choked with secret society members. Ever try to get a job with a firm that possesses a certain notoriety? You had better be connected with some society, club, institute or foundation or just do not bother showing up for the interview! It is not surprising that a police only lodge has been set up in those different locales, but you can bet they are powered by the same unit. This unit is under the protection of the secret society whether it is called the freemasons or given another name.
October 9th, 2008 at 8:29 am
its time the masonic filth were outed for all to see…a public register of these vermin must be made law
October 24th, 2008 at 5:22 pm
Hello all;
So our corrupt and lying police have refused to submit to powers from above? This is just a smoke screen my friends especially as it has become public; hence the senior officer stating we are against this lodge, etc etc; all police in relation to promotion are entered into a lodge and/or no chance or at least very remote to further his career. they swear at initiation that they must always put a brother mason first at all times. If a brother mason is in difficulty he must be helped and assisted, be it debt, crime, etc etc; thats is why it also carries on within the police force as a normal step, where all police are allowed to confer with each other over statements be it they have just shot and murdered a member of the public, or breaking up a friday night scrap! collussion to get their story right! you try it with a group of your friends and you will be charged with conspiracy!! and/or conspiring to pervert the cause of justice! If you have any brain cells left, please use them and treat the police as they do us the members of the public: as an enemy! say nothing but name, address, age and date of birth, mention nothing about any other person as under the Data-Protection act they have not given you permission to discuss them or their business!! Got it?
Kenny Edgar, fighting against lying police, governments, MPs, councillors and all quislings.
February 24th, 2009 at 1:02 am
these vermin should be routed out. They are the cancer in our whole Society - enabling the minority to ‘control’ the majority. I have personally witnessed gross injustices which are directly attributable to the fact that if you are not in their “club”, you are treated differently - even denied legal representation, Justice, God knows what else…
this is a far bigger problem than anyone realises - and has taken a stranglehold on our whole Judicial system, education system and political system in Britain. It needs exposing and banishing once and for all - or a public list should be provided, because currently they are all able to act ‘with prejudice’ without consequences ! what craziness is this ?