Three of our members serve faithfully as Chaplains with the Virginia Beach Police Department. These men perform a variety of duties in their roles as police chaplains. In riding with the officers, they support them with everything from traffic direction while the officers work an accident scene to crowd control – frequently the mere presence of a chaplain is enough to deescalate errant behaviors of unruly groups. They also provide counseling with the officers, hospital visits, and, of course, death notifications. The police culture is a very tight-knit group of real public servants who, every day, put their lives on the line to protect our rights and freedoms here at home, and they love the calm, steady presence of their chaplains.
Last month, all three of First Baptist’s police chaplains were involved in the Cops and Kids program for underprivileged children, which gives youngsters an opportunity to share in Christmas in a way that would otherwise be impossible for them. One young man in the program bought himself one small gift, and then spent the rest of his shopping allowance on gifts for others. What a great day!
