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1. How long is the Academy?

The Academy will be for six weeks with classes on Thursday evening and two full-day Saturdays.

2. What does a chaplain do?

• Assistance to families in the event an officer is killed or injured
• Hospital calls and home visits to Sheriff's Office personal
• Attend and participate in funerals of active, as well as retired members of the Sheriff's Office
• Attend and offer invocations and benedictions at:
  • Academy graduations
  • Promotions
    Award ceremonies
  • Dinners
  • Memorial services
  • Social events, etc.
• Regular visits with Sheriff's Office personnel in Sheriff's facilities
• Counsel Sheriff's Office Personnel
• Assist with Critical Incident Stress Debriefing after major incidents
• Death notifications to families in our communities
• Assist with attempted or actual suicides and hostage situations
• Assist with search and rescue, child, and elder abuse
• Assist with major traffic accidents involving serious injury or death
• Special duties as assigned by the Sheriff or the Sheriff's designated representative

3. What kind of subjects will be taught?

To name a few:

• Stages of grief and recovery
• Critical incident stress management
• Coroner procedures
• Compassion fatigue
• Bereavement support after a suicide
• Homicide
• Child death

4. Why is a background check necessary?

Because of the nature of our work, legal confidentiality issues, and the agencies we serve, a thorough background check is necessary.

5. I have had one recently, do I have to have another background check?

Even if you have had a previous check, a new one will be required including a Live Scan fingerprint check.

6. If I have had previous training, do I have to go through the Academy?

Yes. Although much of the training centers on responding to various types of critical incidents, a large portion deals with policies and procedures peculiar to Butte County Sheriff's Office.

7. What if I have to miss some of the classes?

We ask that you make every effort to not miss a class, but if circumstances are such that you have to miss any of the class dates, please inform the instructors as soon as possible (ASAP) in order for us to arrange for makeup work to be done.

8. What happens after the Academy?

For those who choose to become chaplains, there will be field training for 6 months, where new chaplains will go out on calls with seasoned chaplains for at least 30 hours.