In June 2018, the FBI National Academy conducted training at Stockton University for a select group of police officers and Chaplains in Southern New Jersey to be certified as Master Resiliency Trainers in the State of New Jersey. Resiliency in essence is the ability to bounce back when things are tough and the ability to bounce forward when things are going good. This training focuses on helping to rewire the way police officers and first responder’s view and process traumatic situations in an effort to maximize their wellness and overall positive mental health. It was the culmination of 2 years’ worth of work for Chief Gary Gubbei, Captain Chris Fletcher, Lieutenant Sean Hasson, Detective Jeff Engel and Detective Brian Martino, along with Chaplain Vince McDonald and Chaplain Greg Ginion. Chief Gubbei selected Det. Martino and Chaplain Ginion to attend this specialized training and to have the Maple Shade Police Department also act as the pilot program for the state. Congratulations are in order to Detective Martino and Chaplain Ginion for their work in this area and for undertaking this worthwhile cause.

SAVE THE DATE ! ! ! !

The 2018 National Night Out will be held on Tuesday August, 7th, 2018 from 530PM to 830PM in the Maple Shade municipal parking lot at North Forklanding Road and Brubaker Lane. The rain date for the event will be Wednesday August 8th, 2018.

National Night Out is hosted by the Maple Shade Police Chaplain Corp, the Maple Shade Police Chaplain Association, the Maple Shade Police Department, PBA Local #267 and our Community Partners.

It is a free, family, fun event and everyone is welcome. We will have a DJ, activity zone featuring rock wall and bounce houses, food and drinks (Carrabba’s Italian Grill catering, PJ Whelihan’s samplers, Melting Pot dessert fondu, Maple Shade Custard Stand water ice, and other snacks- while supplies last), face painting, balloon artist, games and giveaways.

Back by popular demand, we will have the “Dunk-a-Cop” to raise funds for the Maple Shade Food Bank. Also please help out and bring some non-perishable food items to donate to the Maple Shade Food Bank and help stamp out hunger!!

Come out and meet your Police Chaplains, Emergency Responders and Military Personnel- tours of Police vehicles, Fire trucks (smoke house for the kids), EMS vehicles and Military displays.

In keeping with the NNO philosophy and our efforts to stay sustainable, please park your car; get out in the community and walk to the event!

Please stay tuned for additional information as it develops.

Follow the MSPCA here at our website as well as at our Twitter page   and our Instagram page.

Maple Shade Police Chaplain Activity Summary 2017

There were 25 Police Chaplain Activations for 2017.

100% of those activations dealt with the loss of life (unattended deaths, attended deaths, fatal car crash, death notifications for other towns and suicides).

Police Chaplains also performed ceremonial duties at the township council reorganization meeting, banquets and opening ceremonies.

Police Chaplains worked extensively with the School Resource Officer diverting juvenile offenders from the Juvenile Justice System into our Stationhouse Adjustment program, providing safe locations for community service and providing mentoring/counseling for at risk youth and their families.

Police Chaplains and Maple Shade PD (under the direction of Chief Gary Gubbei) in partnership with our community supporters organized the 2nd Annual National Night Out Event in August 2017 which was a free, family fun event. It was an overwhelming success welcoming all to our Main Street area to celebrate the positive attributes that bring us together as a community. The Chaplains also doubled their efforts in holding a food drive in conjunction with the Police Benevolent Association (PBA Local #267) and the Dunk A Cop program, where all food donated and all money raised from the dunk tank was immediately used to help stock and supply our Maple Shade Food Bank at a time when the shelves are normally running low. We are hard at work planning the third event for Tuesday August 7, 2018 and expect to go even bigger and better, so please plan to attend!

Police Chaplains have also worked hard in forming relationships with our first responders and their families. Understanding the challenges a career in public safety brings, the Chaplains have mentored, counseled and simply listened when it was needed most. They integrated themselves into the operation of the police department to include our training components like active shooter and scenario based training. In addition, the Chaplains are also starting to push into the concept of Resiliency Training as we move into 2018, which will help first responders bounce back when things are tough and bounce forward when things are going well.

For 2018, the Police Chaplains are expanding our role with the police department on working with at risk youth, community outreach, becoming more active in family crisis situations, laying the foundation for partnering with service organizations addressing the opioid crisis and continuing to expand our training and fellowship with other Police Chaplains throughout the county, making necessary connections and building bridges of hope as we move together as a team. In addition, Chaplain Greg Ginion was recently selected as a board member of the newly formed Burlington County Police Chaplain Association (BCPCA) and serves on that board along with Captain Chris Fletcher, who is a liaison to the association on behalf of Chaplain Liaison Police Officers in Burlington County.

The Police Chaplains would like to sincerely thank all those who have worked so hard behind the scenes to make our program a success and it is our hope to continue to positively impact the lives of those living, working, shopping, traveling through and worshipping in Maple Shade.

Captain Christopher Fletcher and School Resource Officer Misty Weiss of the Maple Shade Police Department along with the Chaplain Corp presented to Superintendent Beth Norcia and her staff a block of instruction on Station House Adjustments. The Chaplain Corp will begin to work with the youth of Maple Shade in a joint effort to divert them from the formal juvenile justice system. MSPD and the Chaplain Corp are grateful for the excellent working relationship that we share with the school district.

Chaplains Stinsman and Galloway, along with Captain Fletcher from the Maple Shade Police Department, attended the 2017 Maple Shade Fire Department open house event. It was well attended and our team handed out many free items to those in attendance. Thank you to our sponsors of the gift bags, “P.B.A. Local #267, Investor’s Bank, Tilghman Funeral Home, and Givnish Funeral Home”. The gift bags were enjoyed by all. We value our partnership with the Maple Shade Fire Department and thank  you for having us at your wonderful event! Check out the event photos on Instagram .