Chaplain Program

Purpose

The primary purpose of the Chaplain Program is to utilize qualified individuals in providing a voluntary service of comfort designed to meet the physical, emotional, and initial needs of a person or family in crisis. This includes victims and their family’s members within the community we serve and City of Arlington personnel.

Services

Ambulance

The program includes services for the spouse of the employees and their families arising from the normal course of duty and/or from a crisis. Examples of this include marriage and relationship difficulties, confidentiality in personal issues, stress management, and assisting staff members with arrangements for funerals or weddings.

On-scene Assistance

The Program also allows for an “on-scene” chaplain to connect the victim/family in crisis with local, state or national public support agencies. The Chaplain routinely assists families in crisis in making funeral arrangements, contacting next of kin, transportation to and from the hospital, contacting a clergy member “of their choice,” and locating temporary emergency housing. The Chaplain strives to provide safety and comfort for the victim, and/or the victim’s family thereby allowing the on-scene officers to handle the investigation of the unfolding event. Examples of calls in which a Chaplain is often used would be deaths, suicides, serious car collisions, serious fires, endangered missing persons, etc.

Valuable Community Resource

The Program shall involve those responses within those areas served by the Arlington Police Department and Arlington Fire Department. The Chaplain may also assist an outside agency at the discretion of the Chief of Police or the designee.

The Chaplain is an invaluable resource for our community. Those who have utilized this service have commented that one cannot place a value on an attentive listener, a caring heart, a kind, word, a warm blanket, or sometimes just a hot cup of coffee. If you are interested in lending your skills to this rewarding field, please contact the Arlington Police Department at 360-403-3400 or visit https://hopeunl.org/nwis/chaplains for more information.