Boca Raton Police Chaplain Program PDF

BOCA RATON POLICE SERVICES DEPARTMENT Departmental Standards Directive 22.910 POLICE CHAPLAIN PROGRAM Revised: April 30, 2013 I. PURPOSE: The purpose of this directive is to establish guidelines for the operation and management of the Police Chaplain Program of the Boca Raton Police Services Depa...

BOCA RATON POLICE SERVICES DEPARTMENT Departmental Standards Directive 22.910 POLICE CHAPLAIN PROGRAM Revised: April 30, 2013 I. PURPOSE: The purpose of this directive is to establish guidelines for the operation and management of the Police Chaplain Program of the Boca Raton Police Services Department. II. POLICY: It shall be the policy of the Department to maintain a volunteer Police Chaplain Program to provide spiritual guidance, counseling, support, and religious training and information by request to Department employees and their families and to the community in times of crisis. III. DEFINITIONS: Police Chaplain: A member of the clergy who is available to provide voluntary spiritual help, guidance, and counseling. Head Chaplain: A police chaplain selected by the Department to serve in a leadership role. The head chaplain is also the initial point of contact between members of the Department and any police chaplain or other clergy called to assist in time of crisis. Police Chaplain Coordinator: A law enforcement officer who directs programs and the events associated with the Police Chaplain Program and is the initial point of contact between members of the Department and any clergy called to assist personnel in time of crisis. IV. PROCEDURE: A. ORGANIZATION: 1. The Department Police Chaplain Program shall be organized and managed in the following manner: a. The Police Chaplain Program shall be assigned to the police chaplain coordinator (hereinafter “coordinator”), an employee of the Department. b. The coordinator will oversee all aspects of the program, including, but not limited to, chaplain selection, policy revision, budgeting, activity review, meetings, training, special events, chaplain response to calls, and chaplain services to Department employees. Effective: March 1, 1989 Revised: April 30, 2013 Police Chaplain Program Directive No. 22.910 Page 1 of 5 c. All requests for chaplain services on an incident scene will be forwarded to the on-call police chaplain, who is to be contacted by Department issued cell phone. B. SELECTION CRITERIA: 1. Because of the enormous responsibility, sensitivity and confidential nature of the work, the selection process for membership and assignment to the Police Chaplain Program is strict in concept and policy and will be maintained to the highest professional standards. 2. The integrity of the Police Chaplain Program, its chaplains, and the members of the Department must be protected at all times. 3. Membership in the Police Chaplain Program will be limited to clergy with a formal education and experience in the religious beliefs of their choice. 4. The following criteria shall be considered in the selection process for members of the Police Chaplain Program: a. Ordained clergy in good standing with their own denomination b. Commitment to achieve basic ICPC certification within 2 years of acceptance into the program c. Able to understand, accept, and relate to persons holding religious commitments different than their own d. Supportive of the need for law enforcement in the community e. Experienced and skilled in counseling and knowledgeable about community resources for referrals f. High moral standing g. Served a congregation for at least five (5) years. The five-year requirement may be waived under special circumstances after review by the coordinator and approval by the chief of police h. Has formal theological training or education in the denomination doctrine of choice i. Provides a minimum of three (3) letters of recommendation from any of the following sources: Effective: March 1, 1989 Revised: April 30, 2013 i. Fellow clergy ii. A leader in the applicant’s organization or denomination Police Chaplain Program Directive No. 22.910 Page 2 of 5 j. iii. The clergy’s ecclesiastical superior iv. A police chaplain or a police officer. Resides in the Boca Raton area k. Completes an application, submits a résumé providing sufficient personal data to properly complete a background investigation, and consents to a background check by the Department. 5. Approval for membership will be based on the successful completion of a background investigation, a review of the submitted résumé, and an interview process. The Coordinator and the members of the Police Chaplain Program must approve the applicant. 6. The chief of police shall retain final authority in all matters concerning the Police Chaplain Program and its members. 7. Police chaplains shall undergo training and orientation required for volunteers of the City of Boca Raton through Human Resources. 8. The police chaplain shall normally meet once a month, typically during the last week of the month, except for the months of July and August during which time no meetings will take place. 9. C. The coordinator reserves the authority to call a meeting at any time, if necessary. DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: 1. The police chaplain accepts the responsibility to foster integrity and honor within the Department. 2. The police chaplain shall avoid cultivating or creating a situation whereby any person would anticipate preferential treatment by him/her or in which a reasonable and prudent person would presume such treatment has occurred. 3. The police chaplain shall always execute his/her duties with a professional demeanor. 4. The police chaplain shall strive for effective moral leadership and high employee morale through continuous self-improvement and dedicated service to police personnel. 5. The police chaplain shall value the Department and his/her responsibility and shall consider his/her office as vital in assisting law enforcement to render a valuable service. 6. The police chaplain shall wear his/her City of Boca Raton Police Services Department or City of Boca Raton ID card when involved in Department activities. Effective: March 1, 1989 Revised: April 30, 2013 Police Chaplain Program Directive No. 22.910 Page 3 of 5 7. Police chaplains shall comply with instructions and orders of the officer-in-charge. 8. Members of the Police Chaplain Program will be called on to perform the following duties: a. The police chaplain shall be available to offer counsel to employees who may have personal problems. In the case of Department employees, the clergy should consider recommending the services of the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) when appropriate. All information communicated to Police Chaplains while acting in the role of a personal counselor shall be recognized as privileged communication governed by FSS 90.505 to the extent provided by law. b. Police chaplains shall, upon request, visit Department personnel who may be hospitalized or sick at home. c. The police chaplains shall provide liaison with other religious leaders in the community. 9. Police chaplains should be available to serve in ceremonial functions as are consistent with their position, including, but not limited to, police funeral and memorial services, police academy graduations, promotional ceremonies, civic meetings and ceremonies. 10. Police chaplains may be requested to assist Department members who respond to critical incidents. a. All requests must be initiated by a supervisor and, if possible, should be discussed with the Coordinator or his/her designee. b. Police chaplains should be prepared to refer persons in need to appropriate social welfare agencies where specific assistance is available whenever this seems advantageous to the individual. c. Police chaplains may be requested to assist Department personnel with homicides, suicides or attempted suicides, natural disaster, counseling of crime victims and their families. i. Police chaplains shall not be permitted to enter potentially dangerous situations. ii. Police chaplains may, on special situations, be requested to intervene in civil disorders, in an effort to establish an atmosphere of calm and stability. iii. Police chaplains may be requested to accompany officers on death and serious injury notification assignments involving community or law enforcement families. Effective: March 1, 1989 Revised: April 30, 2013 Police Chaplain Program Directive No. 22.910 Page 4 of 5 iv. Police chaplains may be requested to accompany major disaster response teams into affected areas and provide support services to the bereaved. 11. Police chaplains may, on request, provide qualified instructors in areas of ethical standards, human relations, human behavior, family life, and spiritual fulfillment. 12. All police chaplains shall ride with a police officer for a minimum of two (2) four hour shifts each month. This requirement may be waived by the coordinator on a caseby-case basis. All chaplains will submit activity reports to the coordinator following call outs and ride time. 13. All police chaplains are expected to attend Police Chaplain Program meetings and training sessions. 14. Police chaplain attire shall be the issued chaplain’s uniform, a suit, or acceptable clerical attire with appropriate identification. Police chaplains shall wear Department issued equipment only in the official performance of their duties. Upon selection to the program, each police chaplain shall receive the following: D. a. City identification access card and lanyard b. Polo shirts and pants c. Embroidered jacket, raincoat, and ball cap d. Notebook and flashlight. MEDIA RELATIONS: 1. Police Chaplain Program members shall not, without approval of the chief of police, release information about the Department or its related activities to the media or other members of the public. E. EVALUATION AND REVIEW: 1. The coordinator shall, at least annually, review and evaluate the operation of the Police Chaplain Program and make recommendations to the chief of police for the improvement of the overall performance of the program. Approved: Daniel C. Alexander Chief of Police Effective: March 1, 1989 Revised: April 30, 2013 Date: Police Chaplain Program Directive No. 22.910 Page 5 of 5