Purpose

Law Enforcement Chaplains are trauma responders to first responders and their families. 

Mission

LE Chaplains are available 24/7/365 as P.O.S.T certified and confidential professionals to respond when requested for the benefit of officers, their families and all support personnel within law enforcement departments.

LE Chaplains begin their training with P.O.S.T certification.

P.O.S.T.

In most states, peace officers training programs are under the jurisdiction of that state’s Peace Officer Standards and Training (P.O.S.T.) Council, which ensures that training meets accepted professional standards. Most Peace Officers jobs require P.O.S.T. certification.

The P.O.S.T. program was developed to provide standardized critical information and develop essential skills for active Chaplains within city and county public safety departments and will be providing Chaplaincy services to members of law enforcement organizations throughout the State of California. The program follows a learner-centered, active training model that incorporates pre-reading assignments, individual and group classroom assignments, and participation in pragmatic, problem-based, real-world exercises. The program has been developed with an experience-level emphasis.

The course is a 40-hour, weeklong and in-person program.

For more information, contact Senior Chaplain Debra Fontes at: debraf@sacchaplains.com

Attendance is restricted to individuals who are currently associated with a California Law Enforcement organization’s chaplaincy program or who are sponsored by an established Law Enforcement Chaplaincy organization currently providing direct services to law enforcement agencies.

LE Officer Family Support

LE officers respond to a wide variety of critical incidents, including serious accidents, suicides, homicides or suspicious deaths; sudden infant deaths; barricaded subjects; missing persons; drownings; industrial accidents and unexpected natural deaths. LE Chaplains are deployed to provide support to officers and to members of the community who were impacted by a particular incident. In addition, LE Chaplains are available to the responding officers in partnership with PEER for enhanced wellness.

LE Chaplains accomplish their calling through:

  • Serving as the Chaplain and Pastoral Care Provider for all employees and family members.
  • Providing 24/7/365 Chaplaincy Emergency on-call availability for crisis intervention.
  • Developing relationships and maintaining contact with all personnel through worksite visits to facilities.
  • Providing informal and formal confidential pastoral discussions for problem issues.
  • Making hospital and home visits to employees and their family members.
  • Officiating at weddings, including assistance in planning the ceremony, as well as pre-marital confidential pastoral discussions.
  • Performing funerals, including assistance with grief management, planning the funeral service, and supporting family members after the funeral.
  • Writing letters of congratulations and appreciation.
  • Acting as members of the “Death Notification Team” of the Agency.
  • Participating in new employee orientations.
  • Providing self-improvement materials (books, brochures, tracts, and audio/video web links) for employees and family members to help teach principles for successful and happy living.
  • Speaking for in-house events (religious or secular meetings, employee gatherings, etc.) when an inspirational speaker is desired.
  • Providing spiritual enrichment activities, as requested by a department, with voluntary attendance by employees, including devotionals or special seasonal services.
  • Representing the Agency where it would be appropriate to have a Chaplain involved (i.e., serious illness, accidents, and funerals).
  • Participating with the Critical Incident Stress Debriefing Team.
  • Collaborating with PEER Support.
  • Partnering with department clinicians.

LE Chaplains work in conjunction with PEER Support, EAP and various law enforcement wellness programs. As trusted partners, LE Chaplains are invited colleagues with confidential privilege when called upon.