'A Source of Strength and Compassion'

Valley County Sheriff's Office has a new chaplain who will provide faith based support to members of the law enforcement community, first responders and citizens at large.

"I covet your prayers so I can serve in the manner the Lord would have me, and that is a help to the community," VCSO Chaplain Owen Childers said after being sworn in Wednesday, Aug. 11 at the sheriff's office. "That is my goal."

County Commissioners, County Attorney Dylan Jensen, VCSO deputies and Chaplain Warren Hebert of the Gallatin County Sheriff's Office, among others, were in attendance for the ceremony.

"I am excited because I feel our office is finally hitting a stride," Valley County Tom Boyer said before Childers was sworn in. "But, we had a missing component - a chaplain, a ministry of presence - somebody that can serve in this community. And not just serve law enforcement officers, but their families and the citizens of the community in whatever need might arise. Those needs could be as simple as providing a glass of water and a warm touch."

Hebert, who has been a chaplain for the Gallatin Sheriff's Office for about 30-years, spoke about calls he has been on where the presence of a chaplain was greatly beneficial to the civilians and officers involved.

On one occasion, Hebert found himself standing on the riverbank of the Gallatin River with a coroner and the sheriff. They were keeping watch for the body of a Montana State University student who drowned during a float down with two friends.

"They took three inner tubes and tied ropes to their ankles so they wouldn't lose the inner tubes because they had rented them," Hebert said. "They just didn't realize as they were floating down there were all kinds of snags and they could get sucked under. That is what happened to one of them."

As unpleasant as waiting for a body to wash downstream to be recovered is, the day would have even more in store for Hebert.

Back at the office, 911 dispatch received a late night report of a 5-month-old baby who had died. The baby had been sickly from birth, Hebert said, and hadn't been expected to live more than a few days. Hebert was dispatched with the coroner.

"A deputy was standing outside trying to hold their tears back because it was a very sad situation," Hebert said. "We walked in the house, and the young mother was sitting with the baby. I have never seen a baby as white as porcelain. I didn't now what to say. The coroner went over and did his questioning" before waving the chaplain over.

"What do you do?" Hebert asked rhetorically. "I knelt down beside her and said, 'ma'am do you mind if I have a prayer with you?' She said, 'no. Please do.' I wrapped my arm around her and the little baby and had a prayer with her."

Then, it was time to take the body away from the devastated mother. The coroner tried.

"She said 'no way, you are not taking my baby,'" Hebert said. "She was clutching this little guy. [The coroner] then utilized a resource he had never had before. He said 'ma'am, do you mind if the chaplain takes your baby?'"

Hebert then found himself with outstretched arms to receive the child.

"She looked at me with tears in her eyes," Hebert said. "I had tears in my eyes, and she gave me her baby. I took the baby and walked out the door while friends and family gathered around her. I sat in the (police vehicle) just crying. I went to the funeral home and the coroner took care of business. That coroner had a resource they had never had before that made a difference in this young woman's life."

Two weeks later, Hebert met with the parents of the drowned college student, praying with them as they visited their son's place of death along the riverside.

"A lot of times there is an opportunity for prayer," Hebert said. "A lot of times, there is not. There is just ministry of presence. We are there to help people be in touch with their faith base. Whatever we can do to help these people, that is what we are there for."

Turning to Childers, Hebert said "Owen, I hope God blesses you richly and your law enforcement family, the deputies, the city police, ambulance, fire - all the people you are going to minister to in this county, but also the people. That is the thing about chaplains. We love people. We love the law enforcement family, but we really love people and love serving people."