"One of the guys that I trained under, he said, 'You know, when you're driving out in the country and you see a possum that's been squashed on the road, you think, Ah well, you know, it's an animal that runs around on the ground. But if you saw an eagle on the road and it had been hit by a car, it would break your heart.' And that's how I see our officers."
"I like to refer to it as a presence of ministry in that, yes, we are in the moment with them, we walk alongside of them," Kenyon said. "We go in the cars with them, we go on the calls with them, we're in the officer-involved shootings with them. We observe what they go through. We understand what they go through and then we walk alongside of them as they deal with that. It's amazing how much they carry and there's difference in the jobs that they have."
"Eventually, that led him into the use of some decongestants and, it wasn't the 'fatal alcohol' and it wasn't illegal drugs, but he started abusing decongestants and he went through a path that was really difficult," Kenyon said. "He was on the verge of losing his family. He reached out and we were able to negotiate getting into rehab and getting him resources and it wasn't an easy story. We had to go through a couple times, but in preserving, keeping that together, we were able to successfully save his marriage and get his life back on track."
"That can put them in a pretty dark place," Kenyon said. "There's been a couple of that I've walked alongside and those particular times, worked to get them out of alcoholism. They were struggling because their marriage fell apart. Being able to work with them and help them reestablish their identity and help find value past that was something that was very fulfilling for me and also very important. And I now see some of those guys at retirement gatherings and I think, 'Alright, they made it and they're surviving'."
"With all of these assets, we work together as a team to address the community concerns," Kenyon said. "Especially something like what we went through with the mass shooting just a few weeks ago, we have all these things that are available."
"I've learned more intimately the price that our men and women in law enforcement pay to do the job," Kenyon said. "We learn about the demons that they slay, the dragons that they deal with on a regular basis, working alongside of them, seeing the cost of what they do, we oftentimes use the phrase, in appreciation, that we thank them for what they do. But I think the average person doesn't recognize how much trauma an officer carries. How much it impacts their life and how much it impacts their families. So, getting to learn the depth of that, has been pretty touching to me."
"The success of the chaplaincy is really largely dependent on the agency," Kenyon said. "Oftentimes, agencies will use chaplaincies simply in a ceremonial capacity. They'll say prayers at swearing-ins or at retirements or at funerals. That doesn't use the full potential of the ministry that chaplains can do. And our agency has been amazing. And our Chief McFadden, in particular, has given me a great deal of free reign in the chaplaincy to really deeply impact and embed in our agency in a way that's been able to allow us to be highly effective."
"Chief McFadden, in particular, has given me a great deal of free reign in the chaplaincy to really deeply impact and embed in our agency in a way that's been able to allow us to be highly effective," Kenyon said. Stockton Police Chief Stanley McFadden's statement to CBS Sacramento"Well, I call it a ministry of interruptions," Kenyon said. "So, whatever's happening, sometimes it's the call goes out and everybody's running, so you jump in a car and you follow. You'll notice in my office, I have coffee. I have candy. I have all kinds of things. An officer walks in, picks up a piece of candy, talks about the weather, and then casually mentions his marriage is falling apart. We close the door and we talk."
"The Stockton Police Department is committed to supporting an environment that prioritizes the mental, physical, and spiritual well-being of all our staff," Stockton Police Chief Stanley McFadden said. "We believe that by supporting each other, we enhance our ability to effectively serve each other and our community. We recognize the importance of Organizational Wellness and will continue to provide the necessary resources and support systems to ensure every department member can perform their roles with excellence and compassion. Together, we strive to build a safer community for all."
"Learning to walk with them in the trauma is important and understanding that day-by-day, they're going to be seeing things that the average person doesn't see," Kenyon said. "A lot of what we do is relational. And, I say relational because you have different personalities in here. The warrior spirit that exists oftentimes comes across as pretty hardened and crusty and cynical. But, they're very deep people. They care a lot for our community. Learning the different personalities, learning how the job is impacting, recognizing when there's changes in personalities requires you to be invested in them, to be around them."
"If you're serving in law enforcement, you're doing something incredibly honorable," Kenyon said. "The price that you're paying is something that can be shouldered with other people, other resources. Other people can come alongside of you. Don't feel like you have to do it alone. And for chaplains and family members, just know there's help for you, as well. What you see and what you deal with, just reach out. Talk to people. And, of course, ultimately we all know that God's got our back. He goes before us, He walks alongside of us and He comes behind us. He's a provider and a defender. So, we can depend on Him and when we have that support, we can face all the evil that exists in this world."
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