To qualify for the position of Chaplain candidates are required to be licensed, ordained, and credentialed for law enforcement chaplaincy, have at least one year's counseling experience, and be in reasonably good health. Candidates pass oral interviews and background investigations prior acceptance into the unit.The OCSD 40-hour Chaplain Academy cover such topics as "Introduction to Law Enforcement Chaplaincy", "Introduction to OCSD", "Crisis Calls Training", "Ministry to Law Enforcement Personnel", "Ridealong Procedures and Field Operations", "Weapons Familiarization", and "Field Simulations". Each chaplain is then assigned to a Field Training Chaplain and will complete a three to six month probation period in patrol operations before being available to serve.

Currently, every independent police agency in Orange County has an existing chaplaincy program. Some 5,000 law enforcement chaplains currently serve throughout the United States. In 2002, the Orange County Sheriff's Department and the Southern California Chaplains Association, will host the Annual Training Seminar of the International Conference of Police Chaplains, with some 600-800 attendees anticipated.

OCSD Chaplains Serve in Three Primary Ways

• In ridealongs as unarmed but trained law enforcement chaplains.
• In crisis intervention situations both in the field and on a call out basis (i.e. domestic disputes, dead body calls, serious injury accidents, suicide threats, death notifications, disasters, etc.)
• Available to all OCSD personnel on a confidential, no cost basis for counseling re: job stress, relational, spiritual, personal matters.

For more information on joining the Reserves, see our Join Our Reserve Team page, or call the Reserve Office: 714-566-2711.