YPD wants help for chaplain patch design

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

The police department is asking churches and other religious groups to help design a patch for its chaplain corps.

Detective Sgt. Charles Swanson of the department’s Family Services Investigative Unit, the department’s liaison with the chaplains, said the corps is also looking to add at least five more chaplains so it can have a dozen.

There are currently seven chaplains who serve the department. They operate on a rotating basis per week and are on call the week they are serving.

Swanson said the department wants to increase its number of chaplains to lighten the load of the seven. Chaplains are available to counsel officers as well as victims of crime and their families.

The department has had a chaplain program for more than 25 years, Swanson said.

Swanson also said the corps has never had a patch, and the department thought asking for help from various religious organizations would be a good way to drum up interest and awareness for the chaplain program in the city.

“We just thought it would be a better look for them,” Swanson said.

Swanson said the project could be a good activity for Sunday school groups or youth groups, but anyone who is interested can submit a design.

Entries must be 3 x 4 inches and can not be more than four colors.

They can be mailed to the police department at 116 W. Boardman St., Youngstown, in care of the Chaplain Corps or dropped off at the police station.

The designs will be judged by members of the department, and a winner will be selected.

Swanson said the department hopes to have a design incorporated by the end of the year.