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First Responder Chaplain

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No one is confronted with more situations that demoralize and create emotional, mental and spiritual burdens than today's first responder. These burdens also affect their family and other members of his or her department. Agencies need the specialized guidance, counseling and assistance for their first responders, families and communities.

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A law enforcement chaplain is an individual with special interest and training for providing pastoral care in the high-powered and dangerous world of public service. This pastoral care is offered to all people, regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, creed, or religion. It is offered without cost or the taint of proselytizing.

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The Chaplain is led in his or her own faith to be available and ready to serve those in need. The Chaplain's ministry provides a source of strength to first responders and their families, other department members, the community, and the incarcerated.  Chaplains listen and participate in the public safety setting with empathy and experience, advising calmly in the midst of turmoil and danger, and offering assistance when appropriate or requested.  The specialized pastoral care ministry provided by a Chaplain requires a person with a special servant's heart above all else.

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PLEASE NOTE: If you are in crisis now, and need someone to talk to immediately, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255). They provide confidential assistance and are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, year-round.

First Responder Chaplains serve a variety of roles:

  • Chaplains are available to counsel a first responder or other members of the department.

  • Chaplains are available to counsel a member of the departments’ family.

  • Chaplains are available to visit sick or injured first responders and department personnel in homes and hospitals.

  • Chaplains are available as a very valuable asset during times of a first responder death.

  • Chaplains are available to deliver death messages to surviving family members.

  • Chaplains are available to be called to the scene of fatality accidents or locations where a deceased person is found, to help locate and notify the next of kin.

  • Chaplains are available to serve on the department's debriefing/defusing team after traumatic incidents.

  • Chaplains are available to provide a ministry in the jail to prisoners and staff. Basically, most Chaplains are available and ready to respond to any and all requests from the department for whom they serve.

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What Law Enforcement Chaplains Do

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Chaplains provide assistance to and work together with members of law enforcement agencies and organizations. Chaplains assist personnel as they deal with the pressures and responsibilities of life, and of their profession, as well as respond to victims of crime and tragedy. Chaplain are trained to strictly observe agency protocol to ensure crime scene integrity is maintained.

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Support:

  • Law enforcement community, sworn and non-sworn officers, support staff, and their families;

  • Officers and personnel in areas such as Stress Management, Post Shooting, Burnout;

  • Officers with availability when requested for any type of assistance;

  • Officers as they are without judgment.

Assist:

  • At homicides, suicide incidents, other deaths, and with notifications;

  • Agency with officer ride-along;

  • Victims of crime, terrorism, disasters, missing persons, accidents, domestic violence, etc.;

  • With transients and the homeless.

Provide:

  • Guidance should a Line of Duty Death occur within the agency or community.

  • Instruction/workshops in areas such as:

    • Stress Management

    • Ethics

    • Family Life

    • Pre-retirement classes and courses

  • Visitation to sick or injured officers and/or agency personnel and their families;

  • Assistance to officers and their families with a death in the family;

  • Responses to religious/spiritual questions;

  • Support and encouragement for all agency personnel and their families.

Serve:

  • As a part of an agency Crisis Response Team or Peer Support Team;

  • On review and/or award boards, and other committees as requested;

  • As a liaison with other clergy and between law enforcement and the community;

  • As a representative for community events honoring law enforcement.

Offer:

  • Prayer:

    • For special occasions and ceremonies

    • For agency personnel and their families facing difficult personal situations

    • Or scripture at Roll Calls

  • Services for weddings, funerals, baptisms, dedications, retirements, etc.;

  • A listening ear without judgment and with confidentiality;

  • A ministry of presence;

  • Credibility which assures officers and their families of sincere support and assistance.

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Training

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Along with his graduate-level training in Counseling Psychology, Constable Darren Smith has attended the following training programs in support of our first responders:  

  • International Federation of Chaplains: graduate of basic training program.

  • International Conference of Police Chaplains: graduate of basic training program.

  • International Critical Incident Stress Foundation: Certificate of Specialized Training in Spiritual Care in Crisis Intervention.

  • Crisis Response Care:

    • 2023 - 134 contact hrs

    • 2022 - 35 contact hrs

    • 2021 - 50 contact hrs

    • 2020 - 63 contact hrs 

 

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