Graduation day is always a special occasion for me and today was no exception. I've spent time over the past eight months with these outstanding young men and women sharing about police chaplaincy and instructing them through numerous sessions on police crime scene forensics. Two from the troop of twelve will soon be my peers at Brandon PS, four will begin policing with Manitoba First Nations Police, two will begin with the Winnipeg PS Cadet Corps, one with Victoria Beach Police, and one with the Saskatchewan Deputy Sheriff.
When they began training in September, I was invited in prior to my instructional role, to share about spiritual wellness and caregiving through a veteran police officer/police chaplaincy perspective. Today, eight months later, I was given the opportunity to have a prayer huddle with them and speak blessings and words of encouragement over them. These are the wonderful moments we cherish as police chaplains, and ones I've learned to never take for granted while serving in a world that can be so negligent pertaining to the spiritual needs and wellness of people.
I'm grateful for my BPS peer Sargent Alice Potter - Class Coordinator (left side of photo), for the open invitations to share regarding chaplaincy and spiritual wellness with this next generation of police officers. Alice has done an amazing job grooming these young men and women to prepare them for a career in policing. The communities who have chosen to employ these young men and women will be enriched through their service.
Constable/Chaplain Bruce Ewanyshyn
CPCA President