Issue link: http://lawandordermag.epubxp.com/i/189636
Ministry of Presence Having the presence of the chaplain around the department gives a context for trust to be developed. Chaplains regularly visit the department for personal contact with law enforcement personnel and staff. The chaplain can also be present by sitting in on role calls and taking part in training exercises. One of my frst memories as a chaplain was watching a fellow chaplain play the "hostage" during some SWAT training exercises. This allowed him to not only serve the team practically, but also build trusting relationships and establish credibility. Counseling It seems when offcers are at their best, they are seeing the worst in humanity. Unfortunately, the reality is that close personal relationships of offcers can suffer because of the resulting stress. As trust is built between chaplains and offcers, opportunities will arise to provide counseling. These opportunities can happen very intentionally when an offcer might come to a chaplain for personal counseling or help in a certain area of life. But, it can also happen very naturally in a squad car, at the gym, or sitting in the patrol room between shifts. Having someone who is trained to listen well can be an invaluable tool in helping offcers debrief, and process the things that they come across in their day-to-day work. T hose involved in law enforcement have very unique demands placed upon them. Offcers endure a physically strenuous job, not found in the everyday workplace. Mentally, the job is diffcult in the vast amount of pain, hurt, immorality and violence that offcers deal with on a daily basis. Between divorce rates, offcer deaths, and the longevity of offcers, the statistics can paint a bleak picture of a profession whose main goal is to provide peace. A law enforcement chaplain has the opportunity to provide a context in which offcers can cope with the distinctive aspects of the job to which they feel that they are called. Whether paid or voluntary, a well-trained chaplain can have a profound impact on the longevity of offcers' careers and the quality of their personal relationships. Just as an offcer is sworn to serve the community, a chaplain's goal is to serve the offcers, staff and community they represent. Here are six specifc ways a chaplain can beneft your department, by allowing those who protect and serve the community to be served as well. Emergency Services When emergencies arise, countless opportunities are available for the chaplain to serve. Whether it's arriving at the scene of an accident and helping to re-direct traffc or providing pastoral care in intense situations, the chaplain can be an extra set of hands that can help support many different roles. Helping offcers when fatalities occur can also be a tremendous service to the department. When offcers have to make notifcation to a family that a loved one has died, having a chaplain present affords the family an additional level of care that sometimes offcers aren't equipped for. The chaplain can stay and pray with the family and offer counsel on how to proceed with the various steps needed in dealing with funeral homes, churches, etc. These are services most offcers simply www.lawandordermag.com 89