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Kosciusko County Sheriff Al Rovenstine will now have some assistance when called upon for one of his toughest duties - informing loved ones of a death.
Warsaw Ministerial Association has organized a group of clergymen who will be available during and after a wide range of emergencies.
The first eight members of CARE - Chaplains' Association Responding To Emergencies - were sworn in Friday afternoon and will coordinate efforts to ensure that clergy will be available at the spur of the moment.
The service will be a big boost to Rovenstine, who is responsible for making about 95 percent of all the local death notifications, many of which involve traffic fatalities.
"I think it will be very beneficial," Rovenstine said.
With a mobile society, it is often more difficult locating and notifying family members. In addition to consoling victims of a tragedy, the clergy can take the place of an officer who traditionally spends time contacting other family members, he said.
Warsaw Police Chief Craig Allebach said the clergy is another tool in working with people who are grieving.
"It's not something an officer wants to go through by himself. If somebody else can be there to go through that, I think they would rather leave that to somebody who's a little more experienced in working through those counseling situations," Allebach said.
The ministerial association has been organizing the group for more than a year. An effort to include all churches was made and plans were put together after several meetings, said Pastor John Lowe, of New Life Christian Church and World Outreach, who helped organize the effort.
Other members of CARE include Randy Packer, chaplain of Kosciusko Community Hospital; Ken McGarvey, of First Baptist Church of Pierceton; Larry Sharpless, of First Presbyterian Church of Winona Lake; Scott Pattison, of Celebration United Methodist Church; Rick Shockley, of Warsaw Wesleyan Church; Glen Mitchell, of Assembly Of God; and Earl Rutherford, of Warsaw Wesleyan Church.
From now on, clergy will likely work alongside police at traffic fatalities, fires, industrial accidents, hostage situations and violent crimes such as rapes.
The service is viewed as a two-pronged effort to help both police and emergency responders cope with the circumstances.
"We feel that if we can get to know these ministers better, we feel it will work better all the way around if our people need to come back and go to them," Rovenstine said.
Three of the members have served in similar capacities in the past, including Sharpless, who worked with a large chaplains' group in Detroit.
Specific CARE members will be assigned to the Kosciusko County Sheriff's Department, and Warsaw police, EMS and fire departments.
Clergy's first priority will be to contact the family's clergy in case of death or serious injury.
"We have to remember that we are on their turf," Shockley said. "We represent the Lord, but we certainly don't want to violate somebody's rights. We're not there to force something on them."
Lowe said they are seeking participation from more churches and different denominations. Those interested must be an ordained, licensed or duly recognized member of the clergy and in good standing with a recognized religious organization. They must also possess a valid driver's license and be willing to respond to all emergencies.
The clergy also will be available to the public or witnesses of a traumatic event, or to jail inmates, Lowe said.
