Identity as a Police Chaplain Identity as a Police Chaplain and Being a Minister of and Being a Minister of

PresencePresence

Rev Melissa BakerRev Melissa BakerNSW Police Chaplain, Australia

IdentityIdentity

• Who am I?Who am I?• When I look into a mirror, who do I see?When I look into a mirror, who do I see?• How do I shape and (re)construct my How do I shape and (re)construct my

identity?identity?• How is my identity shaped by what I do?How is my identity shaped by what I do?• Has my identity ever changed?Has my identity ever changed?• Does a police chaplain’s reflection of Does a police chaplain’s reflection of

self include others?self include others?

What is Identity?What is Identity?

• Our identity is understood through the Our identity is understood through the social, self-understanding and self-social, self-understanding and self-actualisation and the social structures we actualisation and the social structures we are part ofare part of

• It is made up of our It is made up of our personal identitypersonal identity (unique characteristics, quirks, talents, (unique characteristics, quirks, talents, preferences) preferences) heavily influenced by ourheavily influenced by our cultural identitycultural identity (ancestry, heritage, family, (ancestry, heritage, family, language, religion, traditions), language, religion, traditions), which shapes which shapes ourour social identitysocial identity (groups we belong to – (groups we belong to – age, gender, neighbourhood, church).age, gender, neighbourhood, church).

• Often people who are born into white Often people who are born into white Anglo-Saxon cultures do not Anglo-Saxon cultures do not consciously think about being white consciously think about being white and the profound effect it has on their and the profound effect it has on their day-to-day lives. This means that we day-to-day lives. This means that we may not have explored the meaning of may not have explored the meaning of our cultural membership and the our cultural membership and the consequences this could cause on consequences this could cause on identity.identity.

What is Identity?What is Identity?

What is Identity?What is Identity?• The ‘Who am I’ question is best answered as The ‘Who am I’ question is best answered as

a teenager. As you move through teenage a teenager. As you move through teenage years and examine links between your years and examine links between your personal identity, social identity and cultural personal identity, social identity and cultural identity, then you will have more hope in identity, then you will have more hope in answering this question and grow up to be a answering this question and grow up to be a confident young adult. If you, like me, grew confident young adult. If you, like me, grew up too quickly, never had a place or time to up too quickly, never had a place or time to fully understand who you were, then as an fully understand who you were, then as an adult you may have times where you have an adult you may have times where you have an identity crisis…or many!identity crisis…or many!

How would you reconstruct How would you reconstruct yourself?yourself?

Chaplain

Learner

Pastoral Carer

Professional

Counsellor

Leader

Minister

Teacher

The NSW Police ChaplainThe NSW Police Chaplain

IdentityIdentity AnglicaAnglicann

CatholicCatholic ProtestanProtestantt

ChaplainChaplain 92%92% 88%88% 93%93%

CounsellorCounsellor 33%33% 38%38% 33%33%

LeaderLeader 58%58% 75%75% 20%20%

LearnerLearner 50%50% 13%13% 27%27%

MinisterMinister 83%83% 88%88% 93%93%

Pastoral Pastoral CarerCarer

50%50% 75%75% 47%47%

ProfessionalProfessional 33%33% 13%13% 13%13%

TeacherTeacher 42%42% 25%25% 13%13%

The NSW Police ChaplainThe NSW Police Chaplain

IdentityIdentity 30s30s 40s40s 50s50s 60s60s 70s70s

ChaplainChaplain 100%100% 86%86% 87%87% 86%86% 50%50%

CounsellorCounsellor 0%0% 43%43% 53%53% 29%29% 0%0%

LeaderLeader 67%67% 71%71% 53%53% 21%21% 50%50%

LearnerLearner 33%33% 43%43% 40%40% 21%21% 0%0%

MinisterMinister 100%100% 86%86% 87%87% 86%86% 100%100%

Pastoral Pastoral CarerCarer

67%67% 71%71% 47%47% 57%57% 100%100%

ProfessionalProfessional 0%0% 29%29% 40%40% 14%14% 0%0%

TeacherTeacher 0%0% 43%43% 33%33% 21%21% 0%0%

Identity shapingIdentity shaping

• Shaping comes from being challenged in Shaping comes from being challenged in one’s role as leader, priest, human and child one’s role as leader, priest, human and child of God, which is through our cultural of God, which is through our cultural differences.differences.

• Shaping comes with discomfort, sometimes Shaping comes with discomfort, sometimes stemming from our background. stemming from our background. E.g., chaplains feel uncomfortable with titles.E.g., chaplains feel uncomfortable with titles.

• Shaping comes from learning about oneself Shaping comes from learning about oneself and one’s role in the community.and one’s role in the community.

Identity shapingIdentity shaping

• Shaping comes from the building of a Shaping comes from the building of a social structure in relationships with other social structure in relationships with other people and through one’s experiences.people and through one’s experiences.

• Shaping comes from difference, Shaping comes from difference, particularly in putting on a well respected particularly in putting on a well respected police uniform (or ministerial dress) in a police uniform (or ministerial dress) in a well respected rôle as police chaplain.well respected rôle as police chaplain.

• Shaping comes when one is more able to Shaping comes when one is more able to be adaptable to change and to see the be adaptable to change and to see the need to always improve one’s self.need to always improve one’s self.

Identity shapingIdentity shaping

• Identity and learning both reconstruct and Identity and learning both reconstruct and reshape each other. It is a two-way reshape each other. It is a two-way process. Learning reconstructs and process. Learning reconstructs and reshapes the individual identity and reshapes the individual identity and identity reconstructs and reshapes the identity reconstructs and reshapes the learning process.learning process.

• Our identity guides our choices in life, Our identity guides our choices in life, what we learn, our attitude, our what we learn, our attitude, our connectedness or belonging, and our connectedness or belonging, and our motivation.motivation.

ReflectionReflection

• Do you change your identity to fit socially?Do you change your identity to fit socially?

The end of Identity

If you are wondering whether Christians, and particularly Christian ministers, would surely not change their identities in order to fit, then you are mistaken.When I was observing police chaplains on the field, …a chaplain talked up women (he did not do this in his parish)… It got me wondering: why does he change his behaviour for this particular community? Perhaps he wants to feel accepted by them and he doesn’t know any other way of doing so.He is not alone. Other police chaplains do this through using similar foul language to the police, or with ‘drinking’ to the same level as they do down at the pub.And yet others have been forced to change their identity because they did not fit the ‘culture’ or ‘social structure’. Like a Catholic priest in NSW who had long hair and was forced to cut it short before starting. This changed his identity on who he felt he was and his identity as seen by the community around him and his church.

Being a Minister of PresenceBeing a Minister of Presence

• What does it mean to be a minister What does it mean to be a minister of presence amongst the police?of presence amongst the police?

Talk to the person next to you…

A minister of presenceA minister of presence

• In one of my interviews with the police chaplains from NSW, an interesting point came up about being a police chaplain: “Are you more of a ‘mate’ to the police than a ‘resource’.”

•This is what the chaplain said…

How do you perceive you come across to the police and staff in your LAC?I come across warmly, but there’s always an element of

weird, always a bit of apprehension between me and the coppers. It’s almost as if they are wondering what I’m going to say.

Even now? [after 10 years of being a police chaplain]

I think so. Maybe it is more my own perception of them, rather than them of me. But I get that feeling. I don’t come across to them as their mate. I see myself as a resource to the police and I’m happy with that. As the opportunity arises, I’ll socialise with them, but there’s a cut-off point where they know that I won’t go any further. They know I won’t go and drink myself stupid with them. I’ll generally leave the social functions earlier rather than later. That sort of thing. I think I’m basically welcomed and warm towards them, but there’s an element of not being one of them, which is something I weigh up and ask whether that is a good thing or not.

Should I be like them?Should I be like them?

• Neutrality is important for ongoing Neutrality is important for ongoing confidentiality.confidentiality.

• We are not only presenting ourselves. We We are not only presenting ourselves. We are representing all other police chaplains.are representing all other police chaplains.

• If I act in a certain way that affects an If I act in a certain way that affects an officer, good or bad, then that will affect officer, good or bad, then that will affect the way they view chaplains in the future.the way they view chaplains in the future.

• This is why our behaviour, our attitude, This is why our behaviour, our attitude, our language (verbal and body), our our language (verbal and body), our reactions, our care – everything we do and reactions, our care – everything we do and say – are important.say – are important.

We are not acting as one We are not acting as one person alone, we are acting as person alone, we are acting as a:a:• Community of police chaplains;Community of police chaplains;

• Minister of Jesus Christ;Minister of Jesus Christ;

• Servant and disciple;Servant and disciple;

• Christian witness;Christian witness;

• Independent body from the police Independent body from the police service.service.

Being a minister of presence, I Being a minister of presence, I believe this means that we:believe this means that we:

• Act according to the Bible;Act according to the Bible;

• Exhibit care and compassion;Exhibit care and compassion;

• Use an encouraging tongue to all;Use an encouraging tongue to all;

• Make ourselves available;Make ourselves available;

• Exude a presence that is above reproach;Exude a presence that is above reproach;

• Reflect upon our practice regularly in order Reflect upon our practice regularly in order to learn and do better;to learn and do better;

• Make no compromises to the Gospel;Make no compromises to the Gospel;

• Act as a minister, not a police officer.Act as a minister, not a police officer.

Reflection and DiscussionReflection and Discussion

• What are the challenges that police What are the challenges that police chaplains face?chaplains face?

• What challenges exist for us that What challenges exist for us that may prevent us being a minister of may prevent us being a minister of presence?presence?

• How do we deal with these How do we deal with these challenges in order that we can be challenges in order that we can be more effective?more effective?

In groups of 4

To contact Melissa:

yourchaplain@chilli.net.au