THE POLICE CHAPLAINCY PROGRAM
Assisting Others During A Time of Need
By Rick Parent, Delta Police Department

uring the early morning hours, the life of

Da police officer was suddenly taken away

when Officer Mark died in a motorcycle
accident. It started off as a routine Friday
night for Officer Mark and his colleagues,
patrolling the streets and responding to
calls. However, no one expected the series of
events that would occur as Officer Mark
pursed a motor vehicle on a winding stretch
of roadway at high speeds. As he rounded a curve in the roadway
Officer Mark lost control of his motorcycle and went off the pavement,
striking a concrete post resulting in his untimely death.

For those who were left to carry on in his place, the Chaplaincy
Program served as a welcome means of support during a period of
emotional turmoil. Even after coming to terms with the heart breaking
realization that Officer Mark was gone forever, the Chaplaincy program
continued to provide comfort to many individuals by serving as a
visible anchor of spiritual guidance and understanding.

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Possess a God-like compassion and understanding for all individuals,
easily relating to people.

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An individual who is tactful and considerate in approaching all people,
regardless of their race, gender, creed or religion.

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Assisting in making the notification to the family of police personnel who
have been seriously injured or killed.

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Upon request, attending and participating in the funerals of active or
retired members of the police agency.

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Visiting sick and injured personnel in the hospital or in their homes.

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Participating with in-service training for personnel in areas that include
spirituality, ethics, 5tress management, pre-retirement and family issues.
This may include the publication of a monthly news bulletin focusing upon
spiritual care and other topical issues that can be distributed to both
police and civilian personnel.

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Assisting the police agency in responding to major disasters, evacuations
and other incidents where members of the communit~1 are traumatized
or hurt.

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Providing liaison with other religious leaders within the community.

The duties and responsibilities of a law enforcement chaplain may
vary with each police agency but generally the role of the chaplain is to
provide specialized guidance, counseling and assistance to personnel
with the agency. The Police Chaplain is typically supported by a Police
Chaplaincy Committee that meets regularly to assist the Chaplain
with their duties. This assistance may take the form of visitations to
police and civilian personnel that have suffered an injury or, who are off
on sick leave for an extended period. The Police Chaplaincy Committee
is comprised of dedicated police and civilian personnel and is often
chaired by a member of the management team.

The law enforcement chaplain is a clergy person with special
interest and training for providing pastoral care to all individuals
within a police agency, regardless of race, national origin, creed or
religion. These services are provided without any financial cost and
without any degree of proselytizing. The chaplain is there to listen,
empathize and to provide assistance when requested - to the police
officers and their families, as well as civilian members of the police
agency. The program serves to enhance the choice of services available
to police personnel and is not intended to replace the psychological
and counseling resources available.

In summary, the police chaplain program serves as an important
resource for the emotional, mental and spiritual burdens that law
enforcement officers face in the line of duty as well as in their personal
lives, away from the job. The Police Chaplaincy program can be a
significant source of strength during a time of need. This is especially
true for those police personnel who are suddenly and unexpectedly left
to cope with the tragic death of a friend and a co-worker. By having this
program in place, before the need arises, the police agency is better
equipped to assist personnel by minimizing the impact of an event such
as a line-of-duty-death.

The individuals selected as law enforcement chaplains are first and
foremost a person of God, duly ordained and appointed as an approved and
experienced denominational representative. In addition, these individuals
will typically possess the following attributes:
An individual who is a well seasoned and respected individual in the
ministry. Importantly, this person must be capable of understanding
and working with the unique characteristics often found within
police personnel.

The Thin Blue Line

Be able and willing ta respond to any and all types of situations where a
chaplain's presence is needed, in a professional and flexible manner.

Apolice chaplain's duties may include:

News of the unexpected incident was met with shock, disbelief and
despair. These were only some of the emotions that were felt by tearful
civilian and police personnel, upon learning of Mark's tragic death. For
many, the only comfort in the officers passing was that he had died as he
lived, making a positive difference.for the community that he served - a
safer, better place to live.

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Yearbook Val. 5