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.
