Sheriff’s office seeks help from area ministers

Sheriff’s office seeks help from area ministers
With every call, every day, law enforcement officers are faced with potentially dangerous, life-threatening situations.
The officer may have to make split-second decisions that are just and right, but often times very difficult. 
Many times after these events, the officer has a need to express his or her frustrations and problems to someone who fully understands the circumstances of the law enforcement world. 
An officer may need to discuss his/her problems with someone who understands what (s)he is up against, yet is detached enough not to be emotionally involved or in a position that might affect the officer’s career. 
For law enforcement officers, trusting someone enough to confide in them about issues at work is probably one of the toughest things for us to do. We are supposed to be strong, non-emotional, and bullet proof. We are supposed to be “robot-like” when dealing with people in crisis.
No one career, in my opinion, is confronted with more situations that can demoralize and create extreme emotional and mental burdens than law enforcement.
After looking at and dealing with a handful of devastating incidents over the past couple of years, and seeing that we really are lacking this type of internal support system for our staff, the agencies that serve with us, and the victims we are there to help, I started researching the idea of starting a Sheriff’s Chaplain program in Dodge County. 
Our local law enforcement officers, dispatchers and first responders are out there day and night, 24/7 to help and protect us. We need to make sure they are taken care of too.
Today, more than ever, our local law enforcement agencies need a resource for guidance, counseling and assistance to their officers, their families, and their communities. Also, the burden these officers take on can tremendously affect the officer’s family too – often the forgotten victims.  
The officer’s own clergy person or religious advisor, although trained in the ministry, likely doesn’t have a good understanding of the particular problems law enforcement officers face. In such cases, this is where a chaplain could listen with empathy, advise calmly, and offer assistance when such assistance is appropriate.  The chaplains are not there to proselytize (unless asked for religious advice or guidance), just to be an understanding ear and provide support and guidance with an open heart and mind.    
The need for this type of support also holds true for the dozens of firemen, first responders, and medical emergency staff that responds and serves alongside our officers every day.  
Over the past several months I’ve been meeting with a number of area ministers who are interested in being involved in a local chaplain program here. We’ve brought in a handful of speakers and have looked at model programs from other city and county agencies. 
Here is an example of just a few areas where a chaplain could assist:
•      Participate in a ride-along program with patrol officers
•      Respond to all major disasters such as fires, collapse of buildings, explosions, mass casualty events, unusual industrial accidents, and similar situations
•      Assists officer with making death notifications
•      Assist with suicide incidents
•      Provide assistance to victims
•      Serve as a member of the Crisis Response Team
•      Visit sick and injured officers and departmental personnel at home or at the hospital
•      Provide answers for religious questions (does not proselytize)
•      Offers prayers at special occasions such as recruit graduations, award ceremonies, etc.
•      Counsel members of the law enforcement community, sworn and non-sworn, as well as their families.
We currently have a number of ministers in the area who have expressed interest in being involved in this new program. We would like to reach out to the rest of our ministers in Dodge County to see if we have others who may be interested. The more support we have from the different communities we serve, the more effective this program will be.
If you are a minister with at least five years of experience and the willingness to be available to respond to any situation where a chaplain’s presence may be needed, we would like to hear from you as we move forward and look for additional partners for this program. 
Please email me your contact information and level of interest at scott.rose@co.dodge.mn.us so I can add you to our list.
If you are interested in supporting a program like this in our community, I would be interested in hearing from you too.
Thanks everyone for your input, your interest, and your show of support for this new program. I am excited about getting started and really think our community will benefit from it!
Keep watching our Facebook page (@DCSOSheriff) and website (www.dodgecountysheriffmn.com) for future updates.
Your Sheriff,
Scott
Scott Rose has been Dodge County sheriff  since 2015. His column appears monthly in the Dodge County Independent and can also be viewed on the sheriff’s website.