New Around the Mission
Priest Starts New Ministry as Police Chaplain
June 29, 2011
Though he didn’t want to return to his 10 years as a South Carolina deputy sheriff, the Rev. David Freels of Knoxville, Tennessee, couldn’t get law enforcement out of his system. Now, he has the chance to participate in a different way. On June 9, the attendee of Apostles Anglican Church in Knoxville was sworn in to the Knoxville Police Department Chaplain Corps, tasked with providing spiritual support to the department’s approximately 400 officers and employees as well as to the community in crisis situations.
“I’m grateful for the opportunity to go back into that world so that Christ in me has an open door into that world,” David says.
He’s one of 41 Knoxville chaplains each on call for 24 hours a month to counsel officers struggling with marriage, illness, stress, divorce and grief, and also to assist them with notifying families when someone passes away.
“If there’s a death notification, like for a suicide or a car wreck, we can stay after the officer leaves and be with the family, contact their pastor if they have one, be a resource of information to folks who are really suffering and kind of numb,” David says.
Though love, understanding and tact are a must, chaplains are not permitted to proselytize. Police chaplaincy is a ministry of presence, one David describes as strictly “for the sake of others.” For instance, chaplains might be asked to pray at a meeting, but they can’t bat an eye at an officer’s language on a ride-along.
To prepare them for the job, chaplains complete 60 hours of training through The International Conference of Police Chaplains. They’re also required to have a minimum of five years of ministry or counseling experience. David’s background gives him added insight into the tight-knit law enforcement community.
“Having been a police officer really helps a lot as far as understanding their day-to-day lives and what they’re thinking and feeling,” he says. “Cops are not an easy group to break into. They are often misunderstood, demeaned, and they encounter situations that affect the way they see the world.”
David’s flexible schedule—he provides spiritual direction to college students through Campus Mission, his campus ministry at the University of Tennessee Knoxville—allows him freedom to minister when needed, starting this month. He encourages other priests in theAM to consider exploring chaplaincy programs at their own local police departments, or even on a federal level.
“It’s great for theAM to have a focus in all kinds of places,” he says. “I love cops, and I’m a priest. The way to grow the church is by doing ministry for the sake of those who don’t belong—not because they’ll come to your church but because you love them. Are you there to change them or because you care?”
For information on starting a chaplains program with your local department, or to inquire about The Campus Mission, email David Freels.
Posted By: Dana Bincer
Categories: Faith in Action
