SAN ANTONIO – The violence in Dallas is a reminder of the stress of a law enforcement officer's job. There has recently been more emphasis on proper training for law enforcement chaplains, which was the inspiration for Bexar County's one-of-a-kind program, called Chaplains for Justice.
Every day law enforcement officers leave home not knowing if they'll make it back.
"The impact is just tremendous," said Bexar County Sheriff's Deputy Chief Joe Hamilton.
Hamilton has been with the Bexar County Sheriff's Office for three years but he's been in law enforcement for 42. He understands the stress of being an officer.
"They have a lot of frustration and they deal with a lot of grief. People normally don't like to get a ticket or go to jail so it's a very stressful environment and they go to a lot of scenes that are very tough and they take that home to their families," Hamilton said.
That's why having a strong chaplain program has proved to be so important.
"Having someone who can be an advocate on their behalf, that they can go to in confidence, that they can talk to, that is not going to be surprised by what they hear," said Ecumenical Center CEO Mary Beth Fisk. She helped Sheriff Susan Pamerleau come up with the one-of-a kind Chaplains for Justice formal training program.
Monday night, they recognized the program's first 20 graduates, who completed the 14-week, 400-hour program. Local priest Jair Bazaldua was one of them. Just two months ago, he became a Bexar County Sheriff's Office chaplain.
"We learn during the training about the police officers' life because we see them on the street, but we don't know what they carry," Bazaldua said.
He's already getting calls from local officers, shattered by what happened in Dallas.
"Sometimes they need somebody to listen," he said.
Bazaldua knows offering that support will, in turn, make them healthier and better officers.
Fisk said she expects agencies in Texas and across the nation to adopt similar chaplain training programs. She believes doing so will help combat depression, stress, divorce and even suicide, all issues commonly found within law enforcement agencies.