For those who have served or are currently serving a police agency in Canada, you are familiar with the worth police agencies place upon education, training, and equipping their members to serve and protect communities in our Nation. It would be incomprehensible for a police agency to physically equip police officers with tools while neglecting to provide each man and woman with a solid knowledge base and understanding of how and when to deploy their tools. Liability issues would quickly amass if police agencies didn't ensure the impartation of knowledge, understanding, and training to precede the provision of firearms and intermediate weapons.
While the majority of women and men who serve police agencies across Canada are leaders within faith communities, I've had conversations with these police chaplains, and we agree from experience that serving police officers, their families and civilian staff is quite different than serving within a faith community. The police culture is diverse and requires a knowledge base and a foundation of understanding in order to be relevant, reliable, and relatable.
A primary goal of the CPCA is to provide police chaplains with a solid foundation of knowledge and understanding of the police culture and the role police chaplains serve in providing a myriad of services to the men and women who protect communities across Canada. Leaders of Canadian police agencies want to know that the chaplains they are entrusting to serve the needs of their staff are above reproach and have invested time to learn how to become the most effective chaplain within a multitude of situations, crisis or otherwise. The CPCA provides police chaplains with Basic Credentials through a combination of online courses and an Annual Training Seminar. Presently, the CPCA offers 4 of the 6 Core Courses online with the goal to have the additional 2 courses available prior to our 2023 ATS in Winnipeg this October. The 6 Core Courses provide one half of the requirements for Basic Credentials, while the remaining 3 Crises and 3 Police Community/Family Courses available at an Annual Training Seminar, provide the remaining requirements to attain Basic Credentials with the CPCA. Training doesn't cease once Basic Credentials are achieved. While the Basic Credentials provide a solid foundation for effective police chaplaincy, each ATS provides opportunities to acquire training in additional topics that are relevant to equipping police chaplains. Our online and in person presenters come from scholastic and practical backgrounds and possess both the knowledge base and years of chaplaincy experience while being the boots on the ground.
In reflection of my previous comment, take a moment to watch a two-minute video provided by our CPCA Registrar Hillar Alkok explaining our CPCA Basic Credentials Program. This video is new and provided by Hillar, a CPCA Chaplain who served many years with Toronto PS, and currently serves the RCMP through "K" Division. He is one of our many exceptional presenters at our upcoming ATS in Winnipeg in October. Here is the link to the video and our Basic Credentials Program.
You value and esteem the police officers, families, and staff that you serve; otherwise, you wouldn't volunteer countless hours of your time and energy to serve within police circles. May we also put value in the resources that are available to chaplains to increase our skillsets by partaking in training opportunities that the CPCA offers in order to better serve those who serve with excellence. Here is a link to full details regarding the CPCA in person ATS in Winnipeg from October 16 - 20, 2023.
Finally, here is a link to our current 4 online CPCA courses available now to complete at your leisure, within your timetable. The first link below is for current CPCA Members with an applied discount. The second link is for Non CPCA Members to enjoy quality training through the CPCA.
Thank you for your support of the CPCA.
Warmest regards,
Chaplain/Constable Bruce Ewanyshyn
CPCA President
ICPC Director of Region One
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