N.C. Chaplains Bolster Police, Firefighters` Ranks

June 15--Fidencio Alvarez says he's living proof that faith can overcome anything.

A recovering cocaine addict, Alvarez hopes his personal testimony will help comfort those enduring grief and struggling with substance abuse. He'll be pitching in as a volunteer chaplain for the Wilson Police Department.

"I fight with my demons every day, but now I don't fight them alone," Alvarez said. "I fight them with Jesus. I've been straight for three years. I haven't tasted alcohol. I haven't tasted drugs. I know the affect you can have on your children and the affect you can have on your spouse."

Fifteen volunteers completed a three-day International Police and Fire Chaplains Association training session Thursday at the city of Wilson's Charles W. Pittman Operations Center. Six of the participants are new first-responder chaplains, while the rest are chaplains who returned for advanced training.

"We've been able to help right here in the city of Wilson, and the organization is growing," said Pastor Mike Clanton, Wilson police chaplain and chief chaplain for the IPFCA in North Carolina. "The main thing is just to be able to serve in your community in whatever capacity you can."

Wilson Police Chief Thomas Hopkins said chaplains are an integral part of the police department and often help bridge the gap between officers and city residents.

"Consistently, the program has emphasized the consensual nature of citizen-police relations and the collaborative role of chaplains and the police when it comes to crime prevention, counseling and mentoring youth in the community," Hopkins said in a statement. "The IPFCA Wilson chapter of chaplains has afforded police department personnel the ability to 'reach out and touch' citizens and youth in the community by implementing fundamental open-dialogue strategies that are sometimes difficult for police officers in various circumstances."

Chaplains console those who have lost loved ones in killings, car crashes and fires and counsel first responders who often witness human tragedy.

"They learn how to assist officers and firemen," Clanton said. "They learn how to do death notifications and they learn how to assist in disasters."

Not all chaplains are ordained ministers, but all are committed Christians who have been involved in ministry programs at their home churches.

"They have served in the church for at least two years and have a heart to serve people and have a heart to be a chaplain," Clanton said. "We have some who have masters' degrees, some have doctors' degrees and some have high school diplomas, but as long as you have the heart to serve, you are welcome in this organization after training."

Alvarez is a deacon at Free Liberty Spirit Church outside Wilson and said he has a passion for ministry. He plans to work with Clanton as a Spanish translator and a liaison to Wilson's Hispanic community.

"There's a burning inside my heart," he said. "We need to be out there encouraging people to stop these gangs, stop these drugs. Our main focus is having God in Wilson County."

While many chaplains are pastors and deacons, some are police officers, firefighters and medics who feel called to minister to their fellow first responders. Ricky Bass of Nash County is a veteran firefighter and paramedic.

"People have a lot of needs, physically, spiritually and financially," Bass said. "It's hard to minister spiritually to someone when they have that physical need. If you meet that physical need, it opens the door."

Bass said he plans to volunteer as a chaplain for the Nash County Sheriff's Office and Nash County Emergency Services.

Linda Lane, associate minister at Christ Deliverance Tabernacle Ministries in Wilson, said she became a chaplain to help people when they're at their most vulnerable.

"It's so important to help people who have lost loved ones in those situations and let them know they can recover from it," said Lane, who plans to volunteer with the Wilson Police Department.

The police chief said Clanton and his team of chaplains have done a great deal to help both police and city residents over the years.

"The city of Wilson and Wilson Police Department are blessed and fortunate to have such a strong faith-based community of clergy and family members who are involved in our community," Hopkins said. "There are many faith-based members and clergy here in the city of Wilson who were unable to attend a chaplain program due to their schedules who contribute equally to the uplift and quality of life in our community, and I'm truly thankful for all of them, personally and professionally."

For more information about becoming a chaplain in Wilson County, call Nathaniel Poole at 245-0710.

corey@wilsontimes.com -- 265-7821

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