The Archbishop of Canterbury has prayed and worshipped with police officers at Lambeth Palace in the wake of the Paris attacks.
Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, and 80 police officers attended a Eucharist service led by Archbishop Justin Welby at Lambeth Palace Chapel on Friday morning.
The Chaplain to the Met, Revd Jonathan Osborne who also attended the service told Premier: "It's good to get the recognition from the church not only for chaplaincy but for Christians and people of faith in the work place.
"This is a great initiative by the Archbishop to bring people from all sorts of traditions across the met in one place."
During his homily the Archbishop said police officers "inwardly or outwardly weep" for their city - just as Jesus wept over Jerusalem. He prayed a blessing on those in the security services and police who are tasked with keeping the nation safe.
The service was held just hours before a letter from senior police officers to the home secretary was leaked. The letter said proposed cuts to police officer numbers will "severely impact" on the ability of the police to deal with a Paris-style attack.
A National Police Chiefs' Council spokeswoman said they would not comment on leaked documents.
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Article by Sam Hailes
Sam Hailes is a multimedia journalist for Premier.
