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Virginia Beach chaplain says her job is to 'be present' for officers and families
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Summary
Chaplain Sandra Detweiler, a U.S. Navy veteran who began serving in 2022, says volunteer police chaplains provide presence and support at scenes and for officers coping with the emotional burdens of the job. She was recently honored as Chaplain of the Year.
Chaplain Sandra Detweiler, a U.S. Navy veteran who volunteers with the City of Virginia Beach, said her job with Virginia Beach police is to provide presence and practical support to officers, their families and the community.
Detweiler said she received nominations from "other chaplains, other precincts, captains, different people" and was recently named Chaplain of the Year after becoming chaplain in 2022. "My role as a chaplain is presence," she said. "Getting in front of people, talking to people, troubleshooting with people, that's my passion."
The chaplain described how the role works at active scenes: when families ask for a chaplain, officers request one and the chaplain's job is to "allow them to do what they need to do to deal with that situation, and we attend to the family," Detweiler said. She emphasized the emotional strain on officers, noting that when they put on uniform and leave home they may face situations from which they might not return, and that "presence is very important."
The recording frames police chaplains as volunteers who offer care and solace to officers, department staff, their families and the wider community. Detweiler said working with officers and meeting community members "is rewarding to me. Just meeting people and seeing people. I love it."
The transcript contains inconsistent spellings of Detweiler's name earlier in the recording; in the passage above she identifies herself as "Chaplain Sandra Detweiler."
