NEWBURGH – A Police Chaplaincy Unit has been created in the Newburgh City Police Department.
Its purpose is to support the mission of the police department, to care for the spiritual and emotional well-being of the officers and other members, and to function as a liaison between the police and the community in Newburgh, Chief Arnold Amthor said.
He said there are several benefits of such a unit. It provides emotional and spiritual support to members of the community, especially when dealing with trauma, grief, loss and death. Also, police chaplains serve crime victims and can assist in providing disaster relief by having a presence as needed.
Chaplains can assist in enhancing police-community relations, especially within the minority communities, Amthor said.
The police department is presently seeking and accepting applications for the Chaplaincy Unit, and the requirements are as follows:
∙ Must have no criminal convictions in the last 20 years;
∙ Must be ordained and in good standing with a religious organization;
∙ Must have a minimum of five years of experience in ministry or chaplaincy;
∙ Must be willing to be available in an “on-call” status 24 hours per day, seven days per week;
∙ Must have the ability to connect with local resources.
Local Ministers are encouraged to apply. Applicants will be accepted until January 15, 2021. All applicants must submit a letter of interest along with his/her resume and all denominations will be accepted for review.
Application packets can be mailed to the Police Chaplaincy Unit, 55 Broadway, Newburgh, NY 12550, or emailed to Pastor Obed Almeyda, Senior Chaplain at oalmeyda@cityofnewburghny.gov
