Sheriff Salisbury established the Volunteer Chaplain Program for the Mason County Sheriff’s Office in 2007. The program currently consists of two volunteer chaplains

While chaplains are a diverse group, all chaplains are available to respond to the needs of public safety personnel and their families, as well as the general public twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, caring for the people of the community regardless of their faith. In general, chaplains provide the following to the community:

• On-Scene Support: emergency assistance for first responders & members of the community.
• Crisis Intervention: suicide prevention, mental health, first aid and other crisis mediation services.
• Death Notifications: assist to contact, notify, and support next of kin after the loss of a loved one.
• Community Outreach: participate in events that strengthen relationships with the community.

Additionally, our volunteer chaplains provide counseling, crisis intervention training, family support and support in the event of line-of-duty death to our personnel, their families and other public safety staff.

Chaplains are non-denominational, do not advocate for their own personal beliefs, work with all faith groups, and provide needed assistance in times of crisis regardless of a person’s religious beliefs. The Mason County Sheriff’s Office Chaplain Corps stands ready to assist the needs of the Sheriff’s Office as well as serve other police, fire, corrections, and public safety agencies. Our chaplains are both veterans as well as college graduates and have successfully completed a Washington State Criminal Justice Training Chaplains Academy. Since 2007, the chaplains have responded to over 1,000 calls for service. In addition, the chaplains conduct weddings, memorial services and other rites as their denomination allows for officers, deputies, employees, and other public safety staff and any other such tasks requested by law enforcement.

Chaplain Joel Harris

Chaplin Gary Shirbish

DID YOU KNOW ? – The Volunteer Chaplain Program for the Mason County Sheriff’s Office is not budgeted but receives all needed funding through public donations. If you would like to donate to the Chaplain Program, please go to our Online Payments and make your donation selection under Payment Type.