Honoring the Chaplains
by Terrence Clark
Gary W. Holden---founder, president, CEO, and National Director of The Police Chaplain Program was in Trenton New Jersey’s City Hall on May 3. It was the National Day of Prayer, and the day City Council chose to honor the men and women in blue trained through his program. Although he himself physically resides in the Garden State, He starts chaplain programs all over the country.
The title of chaplain in many circles can be associated with some order of the clergy. Chaplain Holden explained that police chaplains are clergy, but it’s not about religion. Although, they offer spiritual help if people ask for it. He says a police chaplain does anything and everything---domestic calls, death notifications, crowd control, domestic disputes, crisis intervention, comfort families of murder victims, and they help to diffuse situations. There on call24/7. “They are there foremost for the police officers and their families when they have needs. They ride along with police officers. They build relationships and really get to know them. They are there for the families of law enforcement officers in their time of need. We say, “You re don’t need a chaplain until you need a chaplain.” He says, “We call them Ministry of Presence.” He says the Trenton troop was doing a tremendous work here in the city. |
Giving & Partnership |
Buy These great Books on amazon
In fact, Director Holden explained, the chaplain mission has its root in the third state going back to the Revolutionary War with military chaplains, where a pastor went across the river to Valley Forge to minister to the troops. George Washington wanted his troops to have spiritual help.
This modern-day program in the state has been in existence for about five years. He notes that there are a whole lot more chaplains then in recent days.
Minister Lee Ingram has been a chaplain for six years. He and William Watson Coleman started the program under the previous administration. For him, it was because of the relationship between the public and the police. He thought the chaplains to be a buffer. A city activist, he said the city trusted him to start this program and work with the police department, so that trust and relationship would be established.
He explained chaplains do not have to go through the same training as a police officer. “We still take a lot of classes. We take CPR training. We just don’t take the firearms training, or the rigorous physical training the police officers do. Ours is more of a spiritual base.”
His most rewarding experience, so far, turned personal. “A friend of mine—Angel, daughter was killed. It was a blessing for me to be there to help with her situation. She knew that she could call on us 24 hours a day.
To become a chaplain, according to Ingram, seemed straightforward, you contact the police department (Detective Nate Davis), tell who you are, meet the requirement, fill out the form, and schedule for training.
Terry Covington has been a chaplain for nine months. She said she was influenced by the Spirit of God. “You have to love the community, love the people, and love God,” says Chaplain Covington. Although police chaplains aren’t pinned as religious, She said her strong reference to God as her motivation is because that’s who she serves.
Diane Rhym has been a chaplain ten months. She loves people and she cares about what goes on in Trenton. She also cares about kids. She was guided by a fellow chaplain. “It’s a great experience just to see police officers come together and solve an issue that is going on. How they detain a situation without hurting anyone.
This modern-day program in the state has been in existence for about five years. He notes that there are a whole lot more chaplains then in recent days.
Minister Lee Ingram has been a chaplain for six years. He and William Watson Coleman started the program under the previous administration. For him, it was because of the relationship between the public and the police. He thought the chaplains to be a buffer. A city activist, he said the city trusted him to start this program and work with the police department, so that trust and relationship would be established.
He explained chaplains do not have to go through the same training as a police officer. “We still take a lot of classes. We take CPR training. We just don’t take the firearms training, or the rigorous physical training the police officers do. Ours is more of a spiritual base.”
His most rewarding experience, so far, turned personal. “A friend of mine—Angel, daughter was killed. It was a blessing for me to be there to help with her situation. She knew that she could call on us 24 hours a day.
To become a chaplain, according to Ingram, seemed straightforward, you contact the police department (Detective Nate Davis), tell who you are, meet the requirement, fill out the form, and schedule for training.
Terry Covington has been a chaplain for nine months. She said she was influenced by the Spirit of God. “You have to love the community, love the people, and love God,” says Chaplain Covington. Although police chaplains aren’t pinned as religious, She said her strong reference to God as her motivation is because that’s who she serves.
Diane Rhym has been a chaplain ten months. She loves people and she cares about what goes on in Trenton. She also cares about kids. She was guided by a fellow chaplain. “It’s a great experience just to see police officers come together and solve an issue that is going on. How they detain a situation without hurting anyone.
Meisha is twelve months on the job. She recalls attending the funeral of a young person that was killed and gun down in the city of Trenton. She noted It was rewarding when the family and community saw the chaplains come on the scene. They were very happy that there was someone there to support them. Someone from the city that thought and cared about them.
All in all, the three believe the chaplain program was making a difference. They could see how it was bridging the gap between the police department and the community. On the day of their honor, they together attest, “We are showing the community that we love them. We are showing them that we are all in one accord to make this a better place. We want them to know, we don’t have a cause, but just that we care about the people. This is why we do what we do. We are changing perceived negativity by listening, and by communicating. if you don’t have unity where would you be.” |