The Christian volunteers doing police work in Reading: 'I'll ask God to intervene'

As government cuts affect police numbers, Reading is feeling the pinch. With one officer claiming there are 'very serious jobs, for instance stabbings, that we cannot get to', Thames Valley police have turned to a group of Christian volunteers to help them police the town centre on Friday and Saturday nights. As well as keeping an eye out for trouble and known criminals, the Street Pastors care for people in no fit state to get home, and even run a taxi service for people too drunk for most drivers to accept. • Filmed in Reading town centre on 28 and 29 September 2018. Subscribe to The Guardian on YouTube ► https://ift.tt/16bR3Lu Today in Focus podcast ► https://ift.tt/2D74a4z Support the Guardian ► https://ift.tt/2xBWIJe Sign up for the Guardian documentaries newsletter ► https://ift.tt/2feoDdN The Guardian ► https://ift.tt/1AFLGzy The Guardian YouTube network: Guardian News ► https://ift.tt/1J9JUwL Owen Jones talks ► http://bit.ly/subsowenjones Guardian Football ► https://ift.tt/1yECE17 Guardian Sport ► http://bit.ly/GDNsport Guardian Culture ► https://ift.tt/16bR6H2