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The Volunteer Police
Chaplains Program was created by Chief Alan Stewart in
1986, with the appointment of the late Pastor George Golden
of the First Church of God as the Odessa Police Department’s
first police chaplain.
Under now retired Pastor Jerry Thorpe of Temple Baptist
Church, the program greatly expanded beginning in 1993, and
now is among the largest police chaplains programs in Texas
and the nation.
The Police Chaplains program is currently under the
direction of Reverend Roy Jones of the West
University Church of Christ and is staffed by chaplains from
many various church denominations. These chaplains provide a
valuable and much appreciated service to the police and fire
departments, other public safety organizations and, most
importantly, to the citizens of the community.
Volunteer chaplains receive training in police regulations
and procedures to increase their understanding of the police
role in society. The ministers are able to provide
specialized counseling to officers and their families as
needed.
The chaplains also assist in the notification of the death
or serious injuries suffered by a loved one. They are
subject to call out for critical need incidents such as
barricaded subjects, civil disasters and other traumatic
occurrences.
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