The recent shooting deaths of three Fayette Police Department employees was a sobering opportunity for one ministry of the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions (SBOM) to go into action.
Larry Barnes, director of missions for Fayette Baptist Association, said he called on the chaplaincy ministries of the SBOM for help in ministering to those employees directly affected by the shootings.
“We do not have a regular law enforcement chaplain in Fayette,” Barnes said. “Our purpose in involving the state chaplaincy office was to get some help for policemen [and women] who had lost friends.”
Officer Arnold Strickland and Corporal James Crump, as well as dispatcher Ace Mealer, were shot June 7 while a prisoner was being booked at the station.
Fayette Mayor Ray Nelson, who is also a member of First Baptist Church, Fayette, called on Barnes to help organize a community memorial service. Barnes said he took the opportunity to recommend the chaplaincy ministries’ critical incident crisis counseling team.
The teams, led by Ray Baker of the SBOM’s chaplaincy ministries, include a mental health worker, a chaplain and peer counselors — other policemen, firemen, dispatchers and more who can counsel those in corresponding positions.
Baker said the team that responded to Fayette was from Calera and included Selma Chaplain Steve McCeary as well as Baker.
“We [were] there to help them formulate a plan to help deal with the situation,” Baker said.
Personal counseling
As well as helping law enforcement with a crisis situation, Baker said chaplains can counsel the officers during times of personal issues.
“Officers and civilian employees of [law enforcement] departments deal with a lot of stress,” Baker said. “We [chaplains] are there to give spiritual and emotional support to help them do their jobs.”
Chaplains are also spiritual advisors for the department in hostage or terrorist situations. “When they’re using religious jargon the officers might not understand, the chaplains can counsel the negotiators as to the meaning,” Baker said.
In addition to officials, chaplains also minister to the victims of crime or accidents, the families of officers or victims, as well as the criminals themselves.
“There are all kinds of issues that a chaplain can deal with that an officer is not trained to do,” Baker said. “We do the things (like counseling) that the police can’t do and don’t have the time to do.”
He said the deaths in Fayette highlighted the widespread need for chaplains in all law enforcement areas across Alabama.
He said there are currently 87 chaplains of all denominations serving the Alabama State Trooper Department. He added that only one-half of Alabama’s county sheriff departments and one-third of the state’s police departments have either paid or volunteer chaplains.
Baker added that his office provides training for chaplains of all denominations who are in law enforcement programs.
Baker said the importance of chaplains was made evident by the crisis in Fayette. “It makes a difference to have somebody there as backup in terms of moral and spiritual support,” he said.
Barnes agreed. “It’s been a hard time for all involved. I’m thankful that Southern Baptists have ministries to offer during times like these.”
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