AFP and Solomon Islands Police Chaplains share valuable caring insights
Editor’s note: Images from the visit are available via Hightail.
The AFP has hosted Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF) Chaplain Melden Hall for his first Australian visit to meet his AFP counterparts and exchange experiences of supporting police employees.
The trip, delivered by the RSIPF and AFP Policing Partnership Program (RAPPP), provided an opportunity for the RSIPF Chaplain to connect with the AFP Chaplaincy Advisory Network.
During Chaplain Hall’s 10 days in Australia, he spent time with AFP members in Brisbane, the Gold Coast and Canberra.
He met several AFP chaplains and discussed the important role they played in supporting members and their families in a variety of situations, and how they helped members perform their duties under challenging circumstances.
He also spoke to police recruits at the AFP College, met members from the AFP Welfare Network and the AFP-led Australian Centre to Combat Child Exploitation (ACCCE), and attended a service at the National Police Memorial.
AFP Chaplain Gaynor Elder said it was a privilege to host Chaplain Hall and his visit provided a fantastic opportunity to learn from each other’s experiences.
“While there are things we do differently, it was encouraging to see how our roles as chaplains remain the same – it’s about being a caring ministry of presence for all of our members and walking alongside them in the good and tough times,” AFP Chaplain Elder said.
“We look forward to an ongoing relationship with Chaplain Hall in which we can support and encourage one another.”
RSIPF Chaplain Hall said the visit was an incredible opportunity to work alongside other police chaplains and to see the different facilities the AFP had to offer.
“Australian policing is very different to the RSIPF, so this program has been a great way for me to get an insight into how the AFP does things, and for me to share some of my own experiences with the AFP Chaplains,” RSIPF Chaplain Hall said.
“We have learned a lot from each other in such a short time, and I look forward to being able to use this experience to help continue to provide chaplaincy services and pastoral care programs for the RSIPF.”
The AFP Chaplaincy Network aims to provide a continually developing, interdenominational and interfaith approach to spiritual welfare and pastoral care for employees, former members, and their immediate families.
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