On August 12, law enforcement officers (LEOs) in Philadelphia, PA, arrested a man for disorderly conduct. People in the neighborhood objected to the arrest and soon a crowd formed around the officers. Some of those in the crowd started to toss objects at the LEOs. The officers requested assistance, and more were dispatched to assist. The crowd was not deterred; when the reinforcements arrived, the assault on the officers continued.
Officer McGuffin was struck in the head with a rock that fractured his skull. He was rushed from the scene and treated by doctors. Officer McGruffin did not survive and succumbed to his injuries the next day. A second LEO was shot in the head at the scene of the riot, but the wound was not serious. The riot was finally quelled when military troops were called on to assist. Officer McGuffin, 40, was assigned to the Northern Liberties Division and was survived by his wife, and three children.[1]
This tragic story is all too common in today’s environment, but this incident took place on August 12, 1828. Some things never change; one is humanity’s heart. It was Solomon who wrote, “What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun,” (Ecclesiastes 1:9, ESV).
SBLF provides training to chaplains from around the world
In July, I was invited to present three classes at the annual training seminar for the International Conference of Police Chaplains (ICPC). This year, the training was held in Spokane, WA. Sherry and I really enjoyed the week reconnecting with chaplains I hadn’t seen in years and meeting new chaplains from across America and around the world. One chaplain couple, who attended all three of the classes I taught were from Jamaica. There were also several chaplains from Ukraine. One Ukrainian chaplain expressed her thanks by sharing her appreciation on her phone. Here’s what she wrote:
Hello, my name is Irina. It is a great pleasure to meet you.
I would like to thank you for your lecture. I currently live in the city of Sumy, Ukraine, just 10-15 kilometers from the Russian border. We experience frequent missile and drone attacks, and there is a tremendous amount of stress—not only for our police officers, but for the entire community.
The materials and insights you shared will be incredibly valuable in my chaplaincy ministry. I truly believe they will help me better support and care for the people I serve.
Thank you very much for equipping us with such practical and meaningful tools. It means more than you know.
Sherry and I were very encouraged by the many chaplains we talked to. Please pray for the ICPC and the challenges they face moving forward in providing resources for chaplains at home and around the world.
Bringing Hope to Law Enforcement
The Strong Blue Line Foundation—at no cost to officers or their agencies—brings hope to LEOs with training seminars that help them navigate a myriad of issues they deal with. One way we do this is by training chaplains. In the “Winning is More than Surviving” seminar and book, chaplains learn how to serve and minister to law enforcement officers by helping them understand the issues they deal with, their responses, and where they can find real hope. Please partner with us to make strong officers with strong relationships by giving them real hope for complete victory! To help, click the “Donate” button.
On the Road
Last month, I traveled to San Antonio to speak at the Chief’s Prayer Circle. The Circle is comprised of people who pray regularly for their police and each other. While there, I had several other speaking engagements and was able to promote Adopt a Cop. This month, I will be in Northern Idaho for a leaders’ summit hosted by Mission First Alliance. Accompanying me will be Jon Sperling who has been a great asset to the Strong Blue Line Foundation and board member Dave Evans.
Pray for your police.
[1]odmp.org/search/this_day_in_history/august/12?sort=date_eow&order=ASC&filter=officer&thisdate=1&thismonth=august&thisday=12&additional=Officer&page=0&pageSize=48
