The SPD Community Chaplaincy is a nonprofit nonsectarian organization whose mission is to build a partnership with the Seattle Police Department to offer the support services of Community Chaplains 24/7 to traumatized citizens in response to an Officer's request when dispatched to highly emotional crisis calls.

     In 2002, R.Gil Kerlikowske, Seattle Chief of Police and John Oas, Seattle Police Chaplain sent a letter of invitation to every Faith community listed in the Seattle Yellow Pages informing them of an exciting opportunity for community involvement with the Seattle Police Department.  A diverse group of Seattle's religious leaders responded!

     Today, twenty five (25) civilian volunteer chaplains are organized and trained to provide immediate on-scene support to citizens who have been traumatized by homicide, suicide, traffic collision, terrorist attack, or other critical incident.  Such support can help survivors to begin a healthy grieving process, rather than entering downward spirals into despair, substance abuse, job loss, family breakup, and even suicide.

    Community Chaplain programs also bring benefits to the department.  They help improve community relations with police, provide an additional resource to patrol officers, and help survivors/victims feel cared-for and well informed, thus generating substantial good will. 

    Community Chaplaincy services can also help relieve Officers of responsibility for consolation and other "soft" tasks so they can focus on their primary and preferred role of law enforcement, thus enabling Officers to get back on patrol quicker.  Community Chaplains often provide a calming presence that can help minimize escalation and the potential need to use force at a potentially volatile scene.

     Community Chaplains are trusted, caring, and competent individuals, ordained and credentialed leaders from a wide variety of local faith communities, trained in crisis intervention skills, and familiar with precincts and police calls. 

     For a detailed discussion of how the Community Chaplaincy program typically operates, go to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's).  For examples of how this program affects not only the lives of traumatized citizens but also benefits police officers, go to Stories.  For a schedule of Chaplain John's visits to the police precincts, go to the On-Line Calendar.  For a synopsis of curricula in-training.

    For more information about how police officers or dispatch can access the Community Chaplains for a call out, click here.   To get involved as a chaplain in the field, as a financial supporter, or in another capacity, click here and send us your name, address, phone number, and a brief description of your interest.