WDBJ7 Roanoke News and Weather NRV Lynchburg Danville | UPDATE: Delegate launches website in support of state police chaplains who resigned

UPDATE: Delegate launches website in support of state police chaplains who resigned

Virginia state delegate Bill Carrico launched a website in support of six Virginia State Police Chaplains who resigned over  a directive that they not reference Jesus Christ at public events.  The website is www.injesusnameipray.org.

Carrico is asking citizens of Virginia to sign up on the site to help overturn the directive issued this week by the State Police superintendent.  The decision to offer only non-denominational prayers at public events was based on a recent fuling by the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Carrico states the purpose of his website: "We are asking Colonel Flaherty to reconsider his decision and abandon this attack on the Christian faith. Our chaplains should have the right to pray according to the dictates of their conscious not as instructed by their superiors. As Christians we stand firm in our faith that the name of Jesus will not be banned from the words of our mouths and the meditations of our hearts. We asked that you honor our God given rights as Americans in Jesus name I pray."

Six of 17 Virginia State Police Chaplains have resigned over a request they not reference Jesus Christ at public events.

Instead, they've been instructed by the Superintendent to offer non-denominational prayers, a decision made following a recent ruling by the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Chaplains are trained in ministry and counsel employees and their families.  Troopers volunteer for the program which began nearly 30 years ago.  The policy does not apply to private services like funerals.

The decision was internal, but does have the support of Governor Tim Kaine.

In a statement Wednesday, Grayson County Delegate Bill Carrico called on the Superintendent to abandon, "this attack on Christianity."

Delegate Morgan Griffith says, to "require those troopers to disregard their own faith while serving violates their First Amendment rights and prevents them from serving effectively as chaplains. These men had little choice but to resign."

STATEMENT BY COLONEL W. STEVEN FLAHERTY, VIRGINIA STATE POLICE SUPERINTENDENT, REGARDING VSP CHAPLAINCY PROGRAM

Over the years, the Virginia State Police has put forth great effort to achieve a diversified employee workforce among its sworn and civilian personnel to reflect the population of the Commonwealth and those we are committed to serve. As a result, the Department recognizes the importance as a state government agency to be inclusive and respectful of the varied ethnicities, cultures, and beliefs of our employees, their families, and citizens at-large.

The Chaplaincy Program was established in 1979 with the purpose of enabling "employees of the Department trained in ministry to provide employees and their families with spiritual counseling and guidance according to their needs and requests."* Our chaplains are also called upon to provide invocations and benedictions at Department-sanctioned events and other ceremonies.

Sworn members interested in participating in the Chaplaincy Program are vetted through a selection process for the voluntary assignment. When performing chaplain duties, the designated sworn State Police personnel are on-duty and compensated for their time spent in this capacity.

With the recent ruling by the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals in the case of Turner vs. City of Fredericksburg, the Superintendent asked Department chaplains to offer non-denominational prayers at Department-sanctioned, public events (i.e. trooper graduations and the annual memorial service). The Colonel respects those chaplains whose convictions and beliefs are in conflict with his request, and is affording those Department chaplains the opportunity to decline participation at Department-sanctioned, public events. The Superintendent's request does not affect chaplains offering their services at private ceremonies (i.e. funerals) or when counseling individual employees and their families in their time of need.

The Superintendent continues to support and appreciates the dedication and efforts of our Department chaplains who provide such a valuable service to our employees and citizens.