On July 23, 1999 two Cobb county
Police Officers, Sergeant Steve Reeves and Officer Stephen Gilner, were
killed in the line of duty during a SWAT call-out. The event sent
shockwaves throughout, and at no time in the department’s history had
such a tragic event occurred in such fashion. The news media relayed the
scene and information that officers had been shot almost immediately.
Scores of personnel responded to the hospital where the officers were
taken. The crowd was immense and no one was present to begin meeting the
needs of those caught in the emotional avalanche.
It was then apparent to the Chief,
then Lee New, that a program must be implemented to assist in such tragedies.
He commissioned a Chaplain Coordinator and gave instructions that a
program be researched and started without undue delay. Every major
department in the nation was queried with requests for their program
policies and formats. The initial procedures were approved and a
Chaplain Board was selected from active members in the department.
It was decided that the program
should have three main branches to ensure its longevity. One, the
Chaplain Coordinator would act as the program administrator and
moderator of the board (with no board voting ability) and would be
appointed by the Chief of Police. Two, the Chaplain Board would consist
of Department Associate Chaplains who are members of the department and
are recommended by their particular faiths and act as liaisons for the
program and establish policies. And three, the Senior Chaplains would be
volunteer clergy and would handle the crux of the chaplain duties such
as counseling.
The first Senior Chaplain was
brought on board in February 2000. Since that time, several have been
brought aboard to serve each precinct. The program is structured to have
two Senior Chaplains per precinct, Police Headquarters, and the Training
Center Area. Senior Chaplains participate in ride-a-longs and other
activities in order to ensure familiarity with the officers.
In 2001 the Chaplain Program
incorporated as a non-profit organization in order to collect funds for
the benevolence of the personnel of the department. The program has
provided financial assistance to several in times of need and continues
to raise funds for this purpose. Additionally, the fund supports the
Headquarters Memorial, dedicated to the officers killed in the line of
duty, the Pipe and Drum Corp, and the retirement presentations.
