Bridgewater To Create Police Chaplin Position

BRIDGEWATER, NJ — To better connect the police department with the community, Bridgewater introduced an ordinance to create a Police Chaplain position.

The unpaid volunteer Chaplain would be a member of the clergy who will help the police department in a number of ways including:

• Assist Police Department officials in making notifications to families receiving serious injury or upon death.
• When an officer is seriously injured or killed on duty, respond to the hospital on request and work with the hospital staff and hospital chaplain according to common ethical courtesies.
• Visit sick or injured police personnel at home or in the hospital.
• Attend and participate in funerals of active as well as retired members of the Police Department.
• Counsel Officers with personal problems.
• Conduct memorial services.
• Participate in in-service training programs.
• Attend departmental graduations, promotions, award ceremonies and other invocations and benedictions.
• Assist in programs and plans for youthful offenders.
• Assist in improving public relations.
• Notify, as soon as possible, an involved person's clergyman in case of a death or serious accident.
• Make proper referrals in unique cases which need specialized attention

"There is no better way to reach the people you serve than through faith-based organizations in the community. We want to provide support to the law enforcement officers, their families, and the agency through spiritual support and encouragement. The Chaplain can support the community in times of need, such as disasters, death scenes, and domestic violence situations," Bridgewater Chief Paul Payne said.

Payne, along with Captains Sean O’Neill and John Mitzak, were looking at ways to better connect with the community and proposed this program to the township. As a result, the township began hosting faith-based meetings between the police and members of religious organizations.

"The benefits from having a Chaplain program is unbelievable, and the men and women we have met since we started this new journey with our faith base meetings in September have been greatly received by our religious leaders, Mayor, township officials, and officers," Payne said. "The Chaplin programs result in significant dividends as a major component in promoting a police officer’s resiliency, which the New Jersey Attorney General has directed agencies to promote, and they provide a perspective on the community’s viewpoint when dealing with law enforcement; therefore almost making them a police ambassador to our citizens."

The Bridgewater Township Council unanimously voted to approve the introduction in creating the Chaplain program. The second and final reading on this ordinance will be heard at the Nov. 5 council meeting.

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