Events

January 20, 2026 | 8 PM EST

Livestreamed on YouTube and Facebook

Please join the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund for a virtual forum about police chaplains and how they strengthen officer wellness, resilience, and community trust while giving agencies a practical roadmap to launch or elevate chaplaincy programs.

Policing involves constant exposure to suffering, conflict, and risk, Chaplains help officers process trauma, grief, and stress. They also serve as a trusted bridge between departments and the community during crises such as deaths and serious accidents, providing moral and ethical guidance to officers facing difficult decisions. In critical incidents, including shootings, line-of-duty deaths, and major accidents, chaplains offer immediate, culturally competent crisis support, and they extend care to spouses and children during seasons of illness, injury, or loss.

Serving Those Who Serve: Integrating Police Chaplaincy into Law Enforcement seeks to educate the community about chaplaincy as specialized, inclusive pastoral care offered to all people regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, creed, or religion, and offered without cost or proselytizing. Unlike personal clergy, law-enforcement chaplains are trained for police environments, embed alongside officers, and provide calm, confidential counsel during daily stressors and critical incidents for officers, their families, and their departments.

Generously sponsored by T-Mobile for Government, this program is open to the public and aims to reach law enforcement executives and commanders, peer support teams, police chaplains, line officers, and police mental health counselors. It is also highly relevant to EAP and wellness directors and clinicians, training academy and FTO coordinators, communications and dispatch supervisors, and city or county attorneys and risk managers.

Click below to watch live on Tuesday, Jan. 20^th, 2026, at 8PM EST

Sponsored by

Presenters

• Rabbi Cary Friedman
• Reverend Eric Skidmore
• Pastor Chuck Price

Moderator

• Matthew Garcia, Deputy Director of OSW Programs, NLEOMF

Rabbi Cary Friedman 

Rabbi Cary A. Friedman is Associate Director of the Law Enforcement Survival Institute (LESI).  A hospital, prison, and police chaplain, he began consulting to the FBI’s Behavioral Science Unit in Quantico, VA, in 2000, and contributed to the design of the “Spiritual Survival for Law Enforcement” course for the National Academy. Cary is the author of eight books, including The Superhero Handbook for Cops and Spiritual Survival for Law Enforcement, and numerous articles, including “Value of Spiritual Survival Tools for Law Enforcement Officers” (LEB, July 2016) and “Embracing the Spiritual Dimension of Law Enforcement” (LEB, March 2017).  He has given trainings at the FBI National Academy, the FBI Training Network (FBITN), and numerous state and local agencies.

Rev. Dr. J. Eric Skidmore

Eric Skidmore graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1983. He served two years in Washington, DC, with the Boy Scouts of America, followed by enrollment at Union Theological Seminary in Richmond, Virginia. He earned a Master of Divinity Degree in Richmond and in 1990 was called to serve on the staff of Eastminster Presbyterian Church, Columbia, S.C. Reverend Skidmore served on the staff of that church for seven years in the areas of missions, evangelism, and stewardship. He earned a Doctor of Ministry degree from McCormick Theological  Seminary (Chicago, IL) in 1997, has served as a Parish Associate on the staff of Forest Lake Presbyterian Church since 1998, and was hired by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division to create a new program called The South Carolina Law Enforcement Assistance Program (SCLEAP). SCLEAP is a partnership between SLED, SCDPPPS, SCDPS, SCDNR and The Office of the Adjutant General (SC). It serves over 17,000 state and local police officers, staff and family members as well as state employees of the OAG. SCLEAP also serves 280+ local agencies upon request.

Chaplain Chuck Price

Chaplain Chuck Price has more than 35 years of ministry experience and 24 years of dedicated service in law enforcement chaplaincy. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Business from Arizona State University and a Master of Arts in Theological Studies from Bethel Seminary. He has served as a chaplain for several police departments, including the San Diego PD, El Cajon PD, Coronado PD, FBI (2017-2023) and the California Highway Patrol (2025-present). He has been on more than 1,600 ride-alongs, logging 2,000+ hours annually and meeting one-on-one with thousands of officers.

As a P.O.S.T.-certified chaplain, Crisis Negotiator for both the San Diego Police Department and El Cajon Police Department, and Senior Chaplain with the International Conference of Police Chaplains, Chuck collaborates with various units within the SDPD, including SWAT, Homicide, and Child Abuse. He has also established chaplain programs in multiple agencies throughout California. His extensive experience and compassionate approach make him a crucial voice in mental health support for law enforcement personnel.

With a wealth of experience and a genuine passion for helping others, Chuck Price embodies the spirit of resilience and hope in his role as a chaplain. He is a sought-after speaker and podcast guest, sharing insights from his extensive career and the lessons learned, encouraging audiences to understand the critical support needed for those in law enforcement and first responder roles.

Moderator

Matthew Garcia

Lieutenant Matthew Garcia (retired) had a 26-year career in law enforcement and mental health advocacy, before retiring from the Connecticut State Police in 2022. During his career, he has served as both a state trooper and local police officer. In addition, Matthew served in the State Police Volunteer Peer Support Program for 12 years. In 2021, Matthew spearheaded the coordination of Connecticut’s federal Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act grant, which resulted in the development of a training module for peer support teams. Matthew’s dedication to mental health advocacy has allowed him to share his insights on police stress and suicide at various conferences and he currently serves as the Deputy Director of Officer Safety and Wellness Programs for the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund.