Starkville Police Department Chaplain Program

STARKVILLE, Miss.(WCBI)–The long arm of the law is reaching out into Starkville communities. Not just to catch criminals running afoul of the law, Starkville Police Chief Frank Nichols is drafting pastors of local congregations for a very special mission.

Since August of 2014 Starkville Police Chief Frank Nichols has been busy selecting men to be used as ammunition, assisting him in keeping peace and safety in the community.

“I wanted to reach the heart of the community. And I’m kind of old fashioned, I believe that to reach the heart of the community you have to go to the churches. So I enlisted 12 chaplains to help me out with that,” said Chief Frank Nichols/Starkville Police Department.

Former police officer Larnzy Carpenter knows very well how to fire a weapon, but as one of 12 chaplains, this man of God is armed with only a badge identifying his mission.

“When people are going through crisis or when they are dealing with a lot of stress and our role is just to make ourselves available. Make ourselves adaptable. To be credible and to be confident in what we are called to do,” said Pastor Larnzy Carpenter/Police Chaplain.

“Be here to encourage these guys. We live in a society today where they are seeing and facing a lot of things that normal citizens don’t have to go through every day,” said Pastor Jason Middleton/Police Chaplain.

These men of the cloth riding along in patrol cars are providing spiritual assistance to law enforcers in and out of uniform, and are doing it as unpaid volunteers or when called upon to respond if there are accidents, illnesses, shootings, or other emergencies.

“We have several men and women who are on the law enforcement team that attend our church and so we want to minister to them and encourage if need be. Counsel with them at times, just bring a sense of spiritual encouragement to their life,” said Pastor Jason Middleton.

These chaplains also are on hand when and if members of their congregations are ever picked up by police.

“Most people definitely respect their pastors so they definitely don’t want to be seen as a lawbreaker or a sinner in the eyes of their pastor,” said Chief Frank Nichols.

In addition to riding along with police, the 12 chaplains may be called upon to perform department weddings, funerals, and hospital visits.