During the week of July 12-16, it was my privilege to attend the national training seminar (ATS) for the International Conference of Police Chaplains. ICPC is the largest credentialing and training organization for law enforcement chaplains in the world, and the ATS is the premier training event for the year. The twelve basic courses necessary to become a basic member of ICPC, plus numerous advanced courses, were all taught by experienced instructors. Thus, chaplains from all over the United States and the world attend the ATS for training and fellowship.
One of the most moving services of the ATS is always a memorial service for law enforcement officers who were killed in the line of duty during the past year (May 2020 through May 2021). Those law enforcement officers who died the previous year had their names listed in the service brochure, but those who died during the current year had their pictures and rank shown on huge screens in a silent presentation. Those watching were given candles and a rose and lifted up their candles when fallen officers from their state were shown. It was and always is a moving experience. Even canine officers were shown.
There were four law enforcement officers from Arkansas who were killed in the line of duty last year: Officer Scott Hutton with the Alexander Police Department, Detective Keven Dwaine Collins with the Pine Bluff Police Department, Officer Travis C. Wallace with the Helena-West Helena Police Department, and Sergeant James L. Dandy with the North Little Rock Police Department. Officer Keven Apple, who was recently killed in the line of duty in Pea Ridge, was not mentioned because it was too late to get him into the printed roster, but he will be honored during the ATS 2022 meeting.
Because the past two and one-half years have been so difficult because of the pandemic, I did some calculating to see how the pandemic had affected law enforcement officers. With all of the media hype about law enforcement personnel during this time, I suspected that many died from gunshot wounds or from some other deadly instrument. I was wrong. There were approximately 395 law enforcement officers killed during the past year with around 233 of them succumbing to covid-19. That's a terrible statistic that reflects how the pandemic has affected the lives of people assigned to uphold the law and to provide public service.
The shape of law enforcement has greatly changed during the past year. Only a few years ago, people were standing in line to become police officers; today, there are no lines, and many police departments cannot find potential officers to hire. Some police departments are actually offering a financial incentive to become a police officer. With negative press and massive riots in multiple cities against police, there isn't much honor in being a law enforcement officer any longer. By way of contrast, law enforcement has become a very dangerous occupation today.
I personally heard of numerous law enforcement departments that have lost around one-third of their personnel through resignations and retirement, and suicides within the law enforcement community are sky-high. Many also are strapped for enough funding to do their jobs.
Chaplain Jim Bontrager, a highly trained police officer and a chaplain, spoke convincingly about the need to address the quality of law enforcement personnel in order to restore a sense of integrity and honor to the men and women who serve. While there has been a tremendous outcry against a few officers abusing their power, no one has been addressing the problems that have always been with police officers: the use of alcohol, drugs, sexual immorality, and handling the immense stress associated with the job. Law enforcement must do more to "police" their own ranks. Defunding law enforcement and refusing to support police officers are not the way to solve their problems.
The response of the people living in Pea Ridge, when one of their officers was killed in the line of duty is a great exception and provides a glimpse into a better future for law enforcement. They are to be commended. However, I am no longer hearing much about defunding the police, and instead am hearing about how to make our law enforcement personnel better and stronger. As long as there are bad people in this world, we will need law enforcement officers to help us maintain a good and safe life. The Bible says in Romans 13 that law enforcement is from God and needs to be respected.
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Robert Box has been a law enforcement chaplain for 27 years. He is a master-level chaplain with the International Conference of Police Chaplains and is an endorsed chaplain with the American Baptist Churches, USA. He also currently serves as a deputy sheriff chaplain for the Benton County Sheriff's Office. Opinions expressed in the article are the opinions of the author and not the agencies he serves.