The Tracy Police Department’s Chaplains are the “emotional and spiritual paramedics” for every member of the TPD family. As “first responders” to the “first responders,” they are on call 24/7 and committed to the support and well-being of the department’s sworn and professional staff, as well as their families. When called upon, they will also serve the community of Tracy in times of crisis or tragedy. Chaplains are both proactive and reactive, offering assistance that is always available, accessible, and, most important, completely confidential.

The Tracy Police Department’s Chaplaincy program has been in continuous operation since 1994, when Chaplain Don Higgins began the program.

Currently, Chaplain Dan Bledsaw, Chaplain Tim Heinrich, and Chaplain Chris Martinez are 3 local pastors with extensive ministry experience who serve the community after they responded to a chaplaincy recruitment letter sent out to all of the local faith communities. Our chaplains have attended the International Conference of Police Chaplains (ICPC) annual training seminar in Wichita, Kansas, where they completed 12 individual basic courses.

The ICPC is the premier chaplaincy training and credentialing organization for chaplains worldwide. The dedication and enthusiasm of the chaplains were particularly noticeable when they completed the ICISF’s certification training in Individual and Group Crisis Intervention at their own expense.

Since coming on board, these chaplains have actively engaged with the department and have greatly assisted in serving the men and women of the TPD. As part of their volunteer duties, each chaplain serves for one week each month as the “on-call” Chaplain and is available 24/7 to respond to any need as requested through established protocols. Additional activities have included teaching at the Community Police Academy and the Youth Academy, participating in National Night Out, debriefings, swearing-in ceremonies, and Shop with a Cop events.