Cult member cop resigns from his job

South Manchester Express (UK)/October 31, 1996
By Lorraine Eames

A police officer involved in a "sinister" religious cult has resigned from the force.

PC Paul Rogers quit his job in Disbury "for private reasons" just days after being exposed as a member of the Manchester Christian Church - a religious sect using "mind controlling" techniques.

Before handing in his notice, PC Rogers frequently attended cult meetings while employed at the Elizazbeth Slinger Road station.

He is still a member of the Disbury-based cult, also known as the Church of Christ, and has regular contact with its leader, Malcolm Cox.

Anti-cult campaigner John Ashton immediately informed the police complaints department when he disovered PC Rogers was a cult member.

Mr Ashton's attempts to rescue his wife and twochildren from the cult were revealed two weeks ago in the South Manchester Express.

He said: "I am relieved PC Rogers has resigned. It is harmful to the public for a member of the police to be part of a known cult. They could use their position to recruit members when people are at their most vulnerable."

And Mr Ashton wants assurances that no other officers are involved.

He said: "I think the chief constable should act and tell his officeers they cannot become a member of a known cult and carry on in the police force. I have nothing against the Manchester Police but I believe they need to be vigilant about their own force. That way we can get impartial advice from them."

But a police spokeswoman said PC Rogers may not have been aware of Mr Ashton's complaint when he resigned and his decision to quit was not because of his cult membership.

She said: "Mr Ashton did make a compolaint that he did not think that PC Paul Rogers' membership of the Manchester Christian Church was compatible with his duties. PC Rogers has submitted his resignation to the force but this was prior to any officer from the complaints and discipline department notifying him of this. The officer is leaving the force for private reasons and not because of Mr Ashton's complaints or because the Greater Manchester Police disagree with his beliefs."

PC Rogers was unavailable for comment but cult leader Malcolm Cox insisted that his decision to quit the force was not because he had been exposed as a member of the church.

"The two things are not connected. He has been considering it for some time. He didn't like doing shifts and wanted to be more office based. He was undecided about whether to get a nine-to-five job in the police force or look elsewhere. It is simply a career move."