Within its 17.8 miles, the City of Garden Grove has nearly 100 places of worship, representing many different faiths and religions- more than any other city in Orange County. In 2000, the Garden Grove Police Chaplain Program underwent a dramatic transformation from one that was exclusively white and Christian to the new multi-religious ecumenical Interfaith Volunteer and Chaplain Program.

The program today has representatives serving as police chaplains from the Islamic, Jewish, Buddhist, Mormon, Catholic, Baptist and other Christian faiths. Two chaplains speak Arabic, one speaks Vietnamese and three others speak Spanish.

As with most chaplain programs, the Garden Grove chaplains are required to donate a certain number of hours each month either through ride-alongs, counseling community members and department personnel, responding to call-outs by the police or representing the police department at community functions.

As a result of their contact with the new Chaplains, Garden Grove Police Department personal have increased their knowledge and understanding of the cultures, religions and practices of the many different faiths in the city, and the partnership has provided the department with a much improved relationship with an increasingly diverse community.

On October 17, 2001 the Interfaith Volunteer and Chaplain Program of the Garden Grove Police Department received the Community-Oriented Policing Award from the Orange County Human Relations Commission, during a special awards breakfast at the Disneyland Hotel.

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The Garden Grove Police Department - Interfaith Volunteer Chaplain Program

- Past & Present Members -

Mater Officer Pat Bailey/Founding Member - Christian
Bill Baker - Christian
Wilfrado Benitez - Christian/Episcopal
Rev. Kusala Bhikshu - Buddhist
Danny Bundakji - Islam
Lieutenant Scott Hamilton - Christian
Bob Kelleher - Christian/Catholic
Harry Krebs - Jewish
Steven LaFond - Mormon
Jim McGhee - Christian
Michael McKiernan - Christian/Catholic
Father Quang - Christian/Catholic
Cheryle Raine - Christian/Presbyterian
Lieutenant Jack Ray - Christian
Paul Root - Christian
Jerry M. Stott - Christian
Mark Swalm - Christian
Wade Whitcomb - Christian/Baptist