Chaplain program benefits police department, community

by Emily Canning-Dean

Ryan Fewell has served the Broadview Heights community for the last 11 years, most recently as a patrol sergeant, but as the department’s chaplain, he has found a new way to serve both the department and the community.

“We made the role official in 2020,” Fewell said. “In 2017, I started a police support fellowship group at my church in Strongsville and it went really well and I saw there was a need for officers to have a little more support both on and off the job.”

Fewell explained that for a police officer, the day-to-day work can be taxing.

“Also, today in the media, there seemed to be these perceived rifts between the police and the community,” he said. “Many of us got into this profession because we love people, but it can be stressful when officers are being bombarded with this message that they aren’t receiving support from the community.”

Fewell said he initially met with Police Chief Steven Raiff to discuss the chaplain program. Fewell underwent training to become a certified police chaplain and a certified lay minister.

“I think the idea of a police chaplain who is also a working police officer isn’t what people normally think of,” he said. “I think they picture a priest that comes in and acts as the chaplain and tries to convince you to go to church, but that really isn’t what this is. This is more of a focus on mental health and the stresses on police officers.”

In his role, Fewell checks in on officers who are experiencing stressful situations or even life changes like getting married, having kids or dealing with an illness in the family.

“I also make myself available to officers who might need to do something with members of the community, like make a death notification or follow up with families where a loved one died of an overdose,” he said. “When the officer goes on the call, sometimes they and the family could use a little extra support.”

Fewell is also transitioning into the role of community resource officer for the department. In that capacity, he will foster more ways to connect with the community.

“We already have some community initiatives like Shop with a Cop and Stuff the Bus for the foodbank, but we want to find additional ways to connect with the community,” he said.

Fewell said the North Royalton Police Department has started a chaplain program along with a community resource program, and he hopes to collaborate with them on future endeavors.

“I think the program has been well received and I think it has been beneficial to do some of the community follow up we have been doing,” he said. “I think so often, people in the community just see the badge and the police uniform so I think it is good for us to check up on people and make sure they are OK after experiencing something like the death of a loved one. And while I’m not a mental health counselor, if someone has a need, they can let me know and I can help find resources and connect them to them.”

Fewell is also a member of the International Conference of Police Chaplains which he said offers training and other resources for chaplains.

Down the road, Fewell said the chaplain program will hopefully extend to the Broadview Heights Fire Department.

Overall, Fewell said he is happy to find a way to help his brothers and sisters in blue in a way they might not have considered before.

“Police officers are really good about adapting when there is a new physical threat and taking the training and learning how to deal with new equipment, but it is also important to take these steps to help deal with mental struggles,” he said. ∞

Photo: Patrol Sgt. Ryan Fewell also serves as the Broadview Heights Police Department chaplain. Photo submitted.