When Inspector Roger Bartlett realised his patch had one of the poorest crime detection rates in the area, he decided he needed help.So he asked churchgoers to pool their efforts in calling for back-up - from God.
Three years after encouraging Christians from local churches to say prayers to help policemen, detection rates have soared, road accidents have fallen and Mr Bartlett is convinced it is evidence of divine intervention.
Inspector Roger Bartlett (left) pictured with street pastors in Exeter: The policeman asked churchgoers to pool their efforts in calling on a higher power
The clear-up rate for crimes in his force area of Barnstaple was 26 per cent, one of the lowest in the Devon and Cornwall area.
But since he asked for the prayers things have changed. Every quarter, the number of crimes solved has risen, so that at its current figure - more than 40 per cent - it is one of the highest in the country. ]
Mr Bartlett, 49, who is part of the leadership of the Christian Policing Team in his area, also asked worshippers to pray for a reduction in the number of serious or fatal road accidents - and they fell from 97 in 2007/8 to 32 in 2008/9.
