Greater Sudbury Police search for spiritual team

Throughout the Greater Sudbury Police force, officers and civilian staff say they are members of 22 different religions or creeds.

After finding out that information, the force decided to put a call out to the public to create a Greater Sudbury Police Service Spiritual Team.

"Helping out with things like providing spiritual care, potentially visiting members if they're sick or helping out in a crisis if the member is dealing with a death or divorce [or] a sick child," Carrie-Lynn Hotson, manager of human resources and professional development at the force said.

"Of course, the calls our members deal with, police officers and civilians, they need that psychological health and wellness."

Hotson says employees already have access to a variety of resources, including an employee assistance program, a peer support team and benefits to cover other health services.

"This is just another service they would reach out to in a time of need," she said.

"We've always had a spiritual leader with the organization. We've had a chaplain for 25 years and they would like that service but they'd just like us to expand it."

Currently, members receive inspirational messages, but Hotson says a spiritual team would be able to reflect all important events to each religion or creed.

"It increases the understanding within the organization," she said.

"If we had different spiritual leaders giving us messages for their holidays then that better serves our members, creates a better understanding."