Human Resources - Chaplaincy (L1120)

1. Summary of changes

1.1 This protocol has been reviewed in April 2023 - no amendments to content have been made. 

2. What this procedure is about

2.1 This protocol sets out the role of Chaplains in Kent Police. With a brief that focuses on spiritual and emotional needs, chaplaincy offers a complementary role to that of services provided by health and well-being department and peer support volunteers. Chaplaincy is not a welfare service nor is it a counselling service, although it is complementary to both. Chaplains may make referrals to the appropriate support service if required and with the consent of the individual. Chaplains may be drawn from any faith community.

Compliance with this SOP and any governing policy is mandatory.

3. Detail the procedure

3.1. Principles of police chaplaincy

Acceptance. The chaplain will offer personal, practical and spiritual support to all police officers and police staff regardless of their faith/belief system or if they have no faith or belief system. This support may extend to the families of police officers and police staff.

Advocacy. Chaplains can act as advocates in certain situations.

Confidential. What is said to a chaplain is confidential and will only be revealed to others when any person is at risk of harm; if an offence is disclosed; there has been a breach of the code of ethics; with the person's express permission; in circumstances where an individual or their family is at risk or if the law requires it.

Conversion/proselytising. Although chaplains are people of faith, they will not force their religious beliefs on others or try to gain adherence to their faith.

Credibility. A chaplain will have integrity in line with the code of ethics.

Critical and familiar friend. Since they are independent, chaplains are able to reflect on situations as a critical friend. Good chaplaincy works because of the relationships built with staff. Chaplains are able to co-ordinate and lead on the conduct of services as appropriate such as weddings, funerals and official services for police employees.

Incidents. Chaplains can advise on operational religious matters as appropriate. They can assist in co-ordinating a multi faith response to major/critical incidents and assist police commanders in appropriate operational circumstances such as hostage incidents, traumatic events, major incidents, critical incidents, public disorder, etc.

Knowledgeable about the community. Most chaplains are rooted in their local community and can be a good connection with local secular and religious groups. As such they can be a trusted source of advice to both police and community.

3.2. Recruitment and deployment of police chaplains

3.2.1. This section provides benchmark standards for the criteria for the selection of police chaplains, detailed job descriptions are contained in the appendices at the end of the document. Chaplains will be deployed in a manner that ensures each district or department has an identified chaplain.   

Criteria for appointment  

3.2.3. The following criteria should be applied to chaplains from all faith communities and traditions.   

• the chaplain comes from a recognised sending faith organisation, which has a robust training and appointments structure and which gives their formal support for the appointment
• the chaplain has a firm pathway of review within and accountability to the sending faith organisation
• that the chaplain has been trained to a recognised and consistent standard in religious and pastoral care issues

3.2.4. The selection interview will be carried out by the lead chaplain and the police lead and the subsequent appointment should be made jointly by the police and by the sending religious body. The police chaplaincy UK may be invited to attend the interview process for appointment of lead chaplains. Chaplains provide their services to Kent Police as volunteers and as such are within the scope of Kent Police policy O40 covering police support volunteers.

3.2.5. Every chaplain is required to provide information for the Kent Police Vetting Unit prior to appointment. 

3.2.6. Police chaplains will be encouraged to become a member of Police Chaplaincy UK. All chaplains will attend an appropriate training course as recommended by the NACP at the earliest opportunity and within one year of appointment at the latest.

3.3. Responsibilities of Kent Police

3.3.1. The police service has a responsibility to ensure that chaplains can carry out their duties as effectively as possible. Kent Police has the following responsibilities:

• to ensure that there is a clear reporting line for every chaplain to the lead chaplain and to their district or departmental commander who should ensure that a chaplain's input is reviewed routinely
• to ensure that there is a nominated police officer or police staff member to act as a point of contact for chaplaincy and who will act as co-chair to the Kent Police Chaplaincy Committee alongside a co-chair nominated by Churches Together in Kent
• to ensure that the chaplain is reimbursed for all reasonable expenses. These expenses may include mileage, safety clothing, phone use, training course fees and associated travel costs. These expenses are to be paid from a centrally held budget which will be administered by the police co-chair of the Chaplaincy Committee. Payment of expenses for mileage will only be authorised where a valid driving licence and certificate of motor insurance have been produced by the claimant. The motor insurance certificate must include business use
• to provide funding for initial training where required and to fund expenses for the annual training meeting for Kent Chaplains which usually takes place in June each year
• to fund attendance by two chaplains per year to attend the national conference
• to provide administrative support and meeting facilities for the Kent Police Chaplaincy Committee
• to provide insurance cover for the chaplain as a volunteer at all times when fulfilling duties as a chaplain and for travelling to and from these duties. It will be for the chaplain to ensure that they have in place vehicle insurance with the appropriate level of cover for business use
• to ensure access to internal computer systems is provided as appropriate to the role subject to the force security requirements
• to ensure that a chaplain is clearly identifiable by name, force and role
• chaplains may be notified of major incidents within the force area by local commanders

3.4 Kent Chaplaincy Committee

3.4.1. The committee provides a platform for open discussion of any chaplaincy issue arising from the chaplains themselves or from Kent Police, as represented by the local commanders to whom the chaplains relate. It is co-chaired by senior representatives of Churches Together in Kent and Kent Police, the latter providing administrative support. All chaplains and their local commanders are automatically members of the committee.

4. Equality Impact Assessment (EIA)

4.1. An EIA has been carried out and shows the proposals in this procedure would have no potential or actual differential impact on grounds of race, ethnicity, nationality, gender, transgender, age, religion or belief or sexual orientation.

5. Risk assessment

5.1. This procedure has been assessed as low risk.

6. Consultation

• Human Resources
• Equality and Diversity
• Freedom of Information
• Legal
• Health and Safety
• IT Security
• Estates
• Finance

7. Monitoring and review

7.1. This procedure will be reviewed every two years with the next review scheduled for April 2025.

8. Data security

8.1. Essex Police and Kent Police have measures in place to protect the security of your data in accordance with our Information Management policy - W1000 Policy - Information Management.

9. Retention and disposal of records

9.1. Essex Police and Kent Police will hold data in accordance with our Records Review, Retention and Disposal policy - W1012 Procedure/SOP - Records Review, Retention and Disposal.

9.2. We will only hold data for as long as necessary for the purposes for which we collected.