As we see increased focus on issues and problems with racism and violence against maginalized groups by police, it's worth noting that just about every police force making the news has a network of chaplains associated with it.
How do the issues affecting those police forces reflect on their chaplains... and by extension, the religions that these chaplains represent?
On the positive side, apparently some chaplains see themselves as helping... as being a calming influence and creating a bridge between police and the communities they serve:
Faith leaders in dual roles guiding congregations and police
On the other side, performing chaplain duties implies at least tacit support of the police.
I also notice that my admittedly quick Google search for "police chaplain resigns in protest" turned up zero hits for modern-day police chaplains stepping down in response to misdeeds of their police forces. Curiously, the military is different in this regard: I did find a handful of military chaplains who have stepped down over either drone strikes or prisoner treatment at GITMO.
I also notice that I can't find any statements from police chaplains against police violence. I can find plenty of these from police chiefs individually and official statements from whole police forces, but none from chaplains.
So... in cases of systemic police brutality or discrimination where we condemn front-line officers, supervisors, chiefs, police unions, etc., should police chaplains be included or exempt from these criticisms?
How do the issues affecting those police forces reflect on their chaplains... and by extension, the religions that these chaplains represent?
On the positive side, apparently some chaplains see themselves as helping... as being a calming influence and creating a bridge between police and the communities they serve:
Faith leaders in dual roles guiding congregations and police
On the other side, performing chaplain duties implies at least tacit support of the police.
I also notice that my admittedly quick Google search for "police chaplain resigns in protest" turned up zero hits for modern-day police chaplains stepping down in response to misdeeds of their police forces. Curiously, the military is different in this regard: I did find a handful of military chaplains who have stepped down over either drone strikes or prisoner treatment at GITMO.
I also notice that I can't find any statements from police chaplains against police violence. I can find plenty of these from police chiefs individually and official statements from whole police forces, but none from chaplains.
So... in cases of systemic police brutality or discrimination where we condemn front-line officers, supervisors, chiefs, police unions, etc., should police chaplains be included or exempt from these criticisms?