At our January meeting, the Sheriff commissioned the Sheriff's Auxiliary's first Chaplain: Lt. Junior Grade Brian Moomey has been a Branson Police Officer, former Pastor of Impact Christian Center in Aurora, a prison guard, and a hospice Chaplain. As LCS Auxiliary's Unit Chaplain, Lt. Moomey will help us to recruit and train additional Chaplains and Chaplains' assistants. Our Chaplains will provide spiritual services for Sheriff's Office staff and families, religious services in extended field deployments, and volunteers trained to work alongside law enforcement in the field.
When working in law enforcement and emergency services, it is often beneficial to have access to a spiritual counselor who understands the particular needs of this community and the realities of what can happen on the job. In addition to their religious instruction, our Chaplains have specific training in what is expected of them as a Chaplain serving law enforcement. Our Chaplains have as their primary mission the support of the Sheriff's Office staff, volunteers, and their families. This can be on a one-on-one basis as requested for counseling or at a whole community level by ensuring the Sheriff's Office has access to spiritual services when deployed in a disaster or long-running incident.
There will also be instances where victims require spiritual services in dire circumstances. For someone who is injured and possibly dying, whether a civilian or a peace officer, waiting until the situation is secure may simply not be an option for them. The LCS Auxiliary gives the Sheriff's Office another option to consider to for getting a Chaplain to the victims immediately, working directly alongside deputies/municipal police, and providing their own force protection in the form of other trained Auxiliary volunteers.
Auxiliary Chaplains are a new capability. We expect this capability to change and grow as the Sheriff's Office and community finds new ways to use it.
If you are interested in applying as a Chaplain or Chaplain's Assistant, please see our Volunteer Page, come to one of our monthly meetings, or contact us.
If you require the services of a Chaplain as a member of the Sheriff's Office, please request through the Sheriff, through our Chief of Staff, or the Unit Chaplain.