Alabama Police Enlist Christian Pastors To Aid At Crime Scenes

The Atlantic last week reported on a new program instituted by the Montgomery, Alabama police department which places Christian pastors at crime scenes to counsel victims and witnesses, and pray with them. The department's chaplain acknowledges an evangelistic element in the program that is aimed largely at the city's black community. Its aim is to reduce Montgomery's murder rate, but the constitutionality of the program is questionable. Similar programs are apparently already functioning in Dayton, Ohio and Arlington, Texas. [Thanks to Scott Mange for the lead.]