By Noah Johnson

njohnson@dailypress.net

GLADSTONE — A local police department is starting a new program aimed at assisting personnel and the public in the event of a tragedy.

The Gladstone Public Safety Department announced the chaplain/liaison program, spearheaded by Public Safety Officer (PSO) Sam Pouliot.

“(It’s) a program we started to provide counseling, support, and other helpful actions to members of our department and also for the community,” Pouliot said.

The program is the first of its kind in Gladstone, and the department hopes to hire two to three individuals to start out.

The as-needed position would be an individual providing emotional support to officers or the public should a tragedy occur.

“Some of the responsibilities would be assisting in critical incidents that officers respond to in the community. So it’s not only going to be benefiting officers but also those in the community that are closely involved with these tragic situations that come up,” Pouliot explained.

The chaplain is a resource to help officers and community members process things such as accidents, injuries or even deaths.

They can also assist with other tasks that may be hard to navigate, such as funeral precessions.

The chaplain is only called if the officer or the liaison requests them.

Pouliot said the idea of a chaplain/liaison program had been on his heart since early 2025.

He referenced his personal beliefs as one of the reasons why having a chaplain available is important.

“Personally, Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior,” Pouliot said.

“I’d just say this has been on my mind (since) early 2025. And I noticed we didn’t have a program, and not many other agencies in this county have one.”

He said the whole point is to strengthen the department for the community, which involves communicating about the real struggles first responders and citizens face.

“It’s really for police officers and really any first responders that are dealing with the traumas that we face, in a positive way, sharing each other’s burdens, as I like to say,” he said.

Gladstone Public Safety Director Ron Robinson fully supported the idea when Pouliot brought it to his attention.

“Ron was on board and offered 100% full support with it. And he’s helped me along the way, so he deserves a lot of credit for this, too,” Pouliot said.

He added that he wants the program to grow, asking anyone if they’re willing to help in any way to reach out to the department.

“We have a bigger vision even beyond this,” he said.

Qualified candidates should be able to complete an appropriate-level background investigation, possess the ability to follow guidelines and procedures set by the director, and have a valid driver’s license.

It is also preferred that the individual has a minimum of five years of experience in counseling, ministry, or church leadership.

Those interested in becoming a chaplain can visit www.gladstonemi.gov to fill out an application or stop by the department and pick one up.

The deadline to submit applications is May 30.