A new episode is now available! Before digging deeper into topics related to law enforcement, Chaplain Lou helps unpack the history and purpose of modern law enforcment chaplaincy. For best practices, he encourages you to check out the International Conference of Police Chaplains (ICPC) at icpc4cops.org. Join in the conversation at anchor.fm or these apps: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts. Chaplain Lou currently serves as Vice Chair (for Training) of the Hanover County Sherriff’s Office Chaplains Board (2008 – present) and as the City of Fredericksburg Police Department’s Chaplain (2019 – present).

Text from the recent podcast:

Welcome back, everyone. Thanks for joining today’s discussion at Midnights L-E-O.

As we begin, I am sure some people might wonder what a chaplain like me is doing in a place like this…and by that, I mean among modern law enforcement. Well, that’s an excellent question, and an important one to address before we go any further I suppose. To put it mildly (paraphrasing Radar O’Reilly on that old show, MASH), I often run into cops, identify myself for the first time as a chaplain, and they seem to wonder, “What in the h-e-double toothpicks do we need a chaplain for?” (They might think other words, but you get the idea. I am being kind.)  

I thought that question – a very real and excellent question – would be a great topic for our second episode. After all, why would you go to a chaplain or utilize a chaplain in your work if you don’t know what one is or could do. Now, you likely know that the use of chaplains for hospitals, military units, and even aristocratic families dates back easily to the early middle ages, but I would suggest we look even further back.

Consider indigenous populations or look in the ancient Hebrew scriptures or other such texts. It seems it has not been unusual for some kind of faith leader to accompany, pray for, and perhaps advise leaders as they start their governance, go to war or make weighty decisions. Indeed, in more recent times, many people are surprised to learn that Chief Sitting Bull was a shaman or medicine man…a spiritual leader…who as their Lakota tradition and practice allowed….was called forward to become a wartime leader. Perhaps because governance and warfare can have a spiritual dynamic, or moral and ethical issues remain so interwoven into those activities, cultures through today often find it helpful to have what we now know as chaplains to be present amidst the secular leaders.

Take for example the akicita societies of the Lakota. As warrior societies, they were also the ones who helped enforce the laws and cultural observances of the tribal community. Membership involved elements of being called by the people and the Great Spirit. It was a vocation or sacred call. Ritual was offered through the initiation ceremonies and beyond, because the spiritual and secular (as we call them today) overlapped and had no firm boundaries as they understood the world.

And with their special role, if someone selfishly went out too early to hunt buffalo for their own benefit (thus scaring them away and risking starvation for the tribe), or perhaps someone was being removed from the community, the tribal relationship, due to a crime, it was the warrior society that would often enforce the desired actions of the leadership. Those sacred societies were warriors, watchmen, de facto law enforcement, and more, but recognizing the moral injury that could result from such actions and the need for an upright spirit, there was always the recognition of the spiritual needs of their membership.

When eventually modern policing came to be…in 1829 under Robert Peele….you might recall that they came to be known affectionally as the Bobbies…they weren’t always welcomed at first. Indeed, there were so many deadly attacks on police officers, they quickly added a leather piece near the neckline of the uniforn because officer’s were being garroted with thin wires from behind. Like today, they faced personal danger, but they also were exposed to the suffering of others and life and death decisions. On top of that, officers died or became disabled, and their families struggled as a result. So, in 1842, the first chaplaincy for law enforcement came to be…it was called the London City mission. Initially, the focus was supporting officers and their families…sometimes sadly their widows and orphans…in concrete ways. Yet, spiritual support in this context was soon identified as a growing need. So in time, you found modern chaplains assisting in many more ways than first imagined in the 1800s – sometimes these are practical efforts, and sometimes spiritual, but hopefully always support offered out of love for the officers, their families and our greater community. Modern chaplains may or may not be ordained, but hopefully they have training of some sort in spiritual counseling and chaplaincy in general.

Now, when I say spiritual, it need not be Christian spirituality. There are Rabbis who serve, imams who serve, and even humanist chaplains who serve more from a philosophical rather than a religious context. In a good chaplaincy program, chaplains hopefully represent their community or at the very least have the training and willingness to meet people where they are. Their religious background is not as critical as their willingness not to evangelize or cajole, but rather help connect people to resources – practical and spiritual – that they need…to be a concrete, non-anxious presence offering care. Yet if the person wants to talk about spiritual things or have prayer? Well, that’s ok too. Chaplains can do that.

Thus, these chaplains, at least the better ones, are going to be prepared to counsel law enforcement officers and their families as requested. They might visit sick and injured officers to help lift morale. They can assist at sudden deaths or scenes likely to cause trauma. They might help supplement support systems of a department by being part of the peer support team, wellness team, critical incident stress debriefing teams, and similar such things. Chaplains could teach classes on subjects like stress or communication techniques in the home and touch upon spiritual practices as they do so – those spiritual practices can be as simple and nocuous as walking in nature and mindfulness techniques,  or one might pull from Buddhism or other spiritual traditions – just to expose people to varied options they might like to later explore in a way that might hopefully enrich their lives….and perhaps heal relationships. In time of day-to-day operations or civil unrest or crisis, chaplains can become a great bridge to faith communities to help calm things down or get resources committed through those faith organizations – This could mean volunteers, food, clothing or whatever.

In some places, chaplains can even serve on review boards for promotions or discipline – helping to evaluate the mental, emotional, and spiritual context of the people and matters at hand. And of course, they want to be among those they serve, so you can often find them on riedlongs answering calls for service with officers – getting to know officers and the people served, and supporting them as needed.

Thus, law enforcement chaplains are very much like secular counselors, but like military chaplains, they hopefully add a faith dynamic into the discussion and care. Chaplains can do a whole lot more than saying non-sectarian prayers at graduations and or presiding at funerals. Through non-anxious presence, they hopefully support all members of the police and greater community …helping them become more resilient and healthier.

So, that is a quick explanation of what chaplains might do, but it can vary greatly based on agency policy, needs, and context. If you would like to learn more, I suggest you take a look at the nonprofit that I maintain my credentials with – the International Conference of Police Chaplains or ICPC. You can find them at icpc4 cops.org.

That’s it for this episode. Stay safe, do some good, and I hope to see you again soon.

Unless otherwise indicated, all scripture quotations for this post are from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) translation.

© 2022 The Rev. Louis Florio. All content not held under another’s copyright may not be used without permission of the author. Views are my own or those of my guests. Content does not necessarily reflect the views of any other organization or person(s).

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Although I have served or do serve as a spiritual counselor, a chaplain, and/or ordained minister, I am not your counselor nor a medical professional. All content on this website and podcast is provided for informational and educational purposes only, does not constitute medical, psychological, or spiritual advice, and does not establish any kind of patient-client or pastor-congregant relationship. Although on this website and podcast, we strive to provide accurate general information, the information found through these posts are not a substitute for any kind of professional advice, and you should not rely solely on this content. Always consult a professional in the area of your particular needs and circumstances prior to making any professional, legal, medical, financial or tax-related decisions. Opinions expressed by the host or guests do not necessarily reflect those of any other person or entity.