PEORIA MAGAZINE July 2022

O N E L A S T T H I N G

‘HEY CHAP! HOW’S IT GOING?’ Creation of chaplain position at Peoria Police Department is helping to bridge gap between the blue, community

BY PHIL LUCI ANO

M artin Johnson puts on a police badge to serve and protect Peoria – not with the law, but with love. Johnson, the senior pastor of New BeginningsMinistries of Peoria, recently was named the lead chaplain for the Peoria Police Department. There, he heads seven other chaplains in a new, all-volunteer program. The goal is to tend to the spiritual and emotional needs of officers and their families, as well as respond to crisis situations involving distraught Peorians. Johnson sees the chaplains’ new role as a way to bring the community together, especially in an era of fractured police public relations. “We want to be that bridge, because we stand in both lanes,” Johnson said. Johnson, 55, heads New Beginnings, 3201 NE Madison Ave., and has served on several community boards. He leads the African American Pastors Coalition, whichmeetswith city and police leaders to address community needs. About two years ago, the coalition suggested the police department consider adopting a chaplain program. In part, the idea sprang from anti

Though delayed by the pandemic, the Peoria program was initiated late last year by Police Chief Eric Echevarria. “Chaplain Johnson is well respected inside the agency and the community as a whole,” Echevarria said. “As the lead chaplain, he has been of tremendous help. … It is an honor to not only have Pastor Johnson as a chaplain, but the whole chaplain team in general is an integral part of the agency and what we do to serve our community.” Johnson mans an office at the department from 10 p.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Friday. He volunteers with the blessing of his church. “They see the importance in it,” Johnson said. “We have a good team that enables me to step away.” Though Johnson has no police experience, he served 30 years with the U.S. Air Force, the first 15 years in aircraft maintenance and the latter 15 years in recruiting. Inmanyways, police officers and military personnel share on-the-job commonalities, he says. “It’s a stressful position,” he said. “We get in our zone and don’t realize the importance of self-care.”

police protests across the country, Johnson said. “I’ve seen Peoria in the highs and lows,” said the Peoria-born Johnson. “I’ve seen distrust in the police department.” To take a proactive step in Peoria, the Coalition thought chaplains could stand in the gap. “I just know from being a pastor that when a church is active in a community, a community changes for the better,” Johnson said. The creation of the local position reflects a national movement. According to the FBI, “there has been a dramatic increase in the use of police chaplains in both large and small agencies across the United States.” Further, the FBI says: • “Pol ice departments benef it immensely fromchaplains’ services.” • “One main role chaplains play in law enforcement agencies is fostering officer well-being. They provide spiritual and psychological hope by establishing rapport and offering counseling.” • “Chaplains foster relationships between law enforcement officers and the public.”

100 JULY 2022 PEORIA MAGAZINE