Hall County Commissioner Jane Richardson (left) watches as Hall County Attorney Marty Klein (middle) and Grand Island Police Chief Kevin Denney (right) give a presentation to Hall County Commissioners about the Hall County Chaplains’ Corps, (Carol Bryant, Central Nebraska Today)
GRAND ISLAND – Hall County Commissioners voted 7-0 Sept. 9 to approve hiring a coordinator for the Hall County Chaplains’ Corps.
Although the Chaplains’ Corps has existed for many years, Grand Island Police Chief Kevin Denney is working to expand the Chaplains’ Corps.
Denney said he has received pledges from seven to eight local churches to pay for the position.
The coordinator would be an independent contractor. The churches would send their donations to the Grand Island Area Community Foundation, which would then submit a billing to Hall County to be approved along with other monthly claims. The coordinator would not be an employee of the city or county, and the city and county would not provide funding for the position.
The coordinator would be paid $4,000 per month. Denney said he hopes the coordinator could be hired by November. Office space for the chaplain coordinator is available at the Hall County/Grand Island Emergency Management Center.
Denney said the chaplains would provide support for public safety groups including the Grand Island Police Department, Grand Island Fire Department, Hall County Corrections staff, Hall County Sheriff’s Department, Rural Fire Departments, and Hall County Attorney’s office.
Denney said he has worked with Chaplains’ Corps in the three previous police departments where he has worked.
He said that public safety workers may encounter 120 to 150 crisis events during their careers. He said that having a Chaplains’ Corps adds to a holistic approach for services for public safety employees.
Hall County Attorney Marty Klein appeared with Denney to give the presentation to the Commissioners. Klein gave an example of a newly-hired deputy county attorney who had to respond to a suicide situation.
Denney said that new chaplains have recently been added to the Chaplains’ Corps, and the goal is to have 10 chaplains in the group.
Commissioner Butch Hurst, now retired, worked as a Grand Island Police Department officer. He said at that time, few officers approached the Chaplains’ Corps for help. But times have changed.
Denney gave an example that a full debriefing occurred after a house explosion several years ago in Wood River.
Denney said that having a Chaplains’ Corps complements services already provided for public safety employees, such as Employee Assistance Programs.
