The SHIELD Armory

The Police Academy is a rigorous period where recruits are put to the test everyday. As a part of that, they get extensive training in both physical and nutritional health. They keep food journals, meal prep, workout multiple times a day and much more.

But what happens after the academy is over and new officers start on their platoons? Long 12 hour shifts of call after call. How do you stay in shape and keep eating healthy? Those are the questions we ask the Roanoke City Police Academy Wellness Coordinator and Investigator, Anna Volk.

In this episode, Volk shares practical insights in how to develop daily habits of staying healthy on the job and how to take care of oneself while on the job. Join in now and be ready to jot down a few notes as we learn together how to be Fit for Duty!

The SHIELD Armory can be found on all major podcast platforms.

There is definitely a draw for men and women to law enforcement, who have served or are currently serving in the military. Why is that?

In each of those worlds, combat and law enforcement, there is trauma that an individual will take on. The question is, how similar are these traumas? What differences are there? How can those who have served and are serving help them through the trauma?

Join Chaplains Potter, Stephenson and Hughes as they sit down with former Roanoke City Police Officer, and current Licensed Social Worker, Shane Fletcher to discuss these very things. We believe that the insight that Shane shares will be crucial to officers and veterans who are struggling with letting go of trauma and working through PTSD.

Disclaimer - Always remember, you never have to deal with this alone. Contact someone at your agency, a mental health professional, or contact one of our chaplains with SHIELD.

This week is the second part of a two-week series on Marriage. Week 1 we discussed the original design for marriage, why it is important and what its purpose is.

On today's episode, Chaplains Potter, Stephenson and Hughes sit down and talk about the attacks that marriage face.

The question becomes, who is our enemy when the attack is on? Is it our spouse? Or could there be someone else?

What do we do when the attacks happen? How do we respond? How do we get out of the attack?

For answers to all of those questions, join in on today's episode.

Marriage is something that we are all familiar with. Maybe you are married, or you know someone who is. Regardless of where each of us are, here is the truth of what we know about marriage: it is one of life's greatest experiences, while also one of life's most difficult journeys.

With those realities in mind, we are confronted with some deep questions: Where did marriage come from? What is the purpose of marriage? Are there boundaries in and with marriage? How am I supposed to love someone forever?

In this episode, Chaplains Potter, Stephenson and Hughes sit down to discuss and answer some of these deep rooted questions when it comes to marriage. Join us now for Part 1 of a 2 Part series on Marriage, "Cuffed & Committed: The Groundwork of Marriage."

At SHIELD Chaplaincy, we believe in what is called the Triangle of Wellness. On every triangle, you have 3 sides. In the wellness triangle, those three sides are made up of: Emotional/Mental Wellness, Spiritual Wellness and Physical Wellness.

In Season 1, we have dove into some of the heavy parts of emotional and mental wellness. Also, in every episode, we are weaving the spiritual wellness into what we talk about. Finally, in this episode, we dive into the physical wellness portion.

Join Chaplains Potter and Hughes, as well as listen in and gain some incredible wisdom from a current officer whose passion is helping take care of officers on the physical portion of the Triangle of Wellness.

Police Chaplains....some departments have them, many don't.

The question is, why are police chaplains important in the life of a department? What do they do? What do they bring to the table for officers and personnel?

Take some time to listen to an interview with one officer who, in his own words, explains the value of police chaplains.

At SHIELD, our heart as police Chaplains, is to SERVE, HEAL, INSPIRE, ENCOURAGE, LEAD and DEVELOP strategies to assist law enforcement officers in finding fulfillment at work and at home through biblical principles and proven wellness practices.

A couple of weeks ago, we talked about healthy vs. unhealthy coping for law enforcement. The thing is, we don't want to just talk about it, we want to be a part of the solution of helping officers cope in a healthy way with all you encounter.

This is where Project Haven and SHIELD Outdoors comes in.

We believe that the great outdoors can be a place of peace and healing. Whether that's going for a walk, fishing, camping, or hunting, we know that these things can be healing for people in different ways.

In 2024, we established SHIELD Outdoors and Project Haven. Over 100 acres of land with a 2 acre pond where we can take officers and their families for some time to get away from the job and the hustle and bustle of life.

Listen in as the guys share about that, how you can benefit from it and how you can be a part of what's happening at Project Haven.

Retirement, an incredible accomplishment but also a major life adjustment.

Officers, on average, work 20 years or more to reach the goal of being able to retire and move into their next phase of life. The question that is raised with retirement is, "What's next?" Have you thought about it? Have you started any kind of planning? Are there things you would like to accomplish in retirement? Are you thinking of that next career?

In this episode of the SHIELD Armory, Chaplains Potter and Hughes interview retired Lieutenant Mark Gilbert. He retired from Martinsville City Police Department and is now serving as a Captain with Carilion Police. Listen in on the wisdom he shares as someone who has been down the retirement road, as well as someone who has also stepped back into the world of work.

Every human being has to deal with stress, trauma and traumatic events. However, the statistics paint a very sobering difference between the general population and the law enforcement world.

The average person, who works a regular job, generally experiences 2 traumatic events in a lifetime. However, the average police officer, in a 20 year career, will experience around 800 traumatic events. That doesn't include all of the day to day stress from everything else surround the job.

So the question begs, how do you deal with it? How do you cope with the things you experience at work? How do you not bring the stress home to your family?

In this episode, Chaplains Potter, Stephenson and Hughes sit down and talk about Unhealthy vs. Healthy Coping Strategies. Their hope is to give us all some things to think about, as well as some real tangible things to do to cope with everything you take in.

At the end of January, Reagan National Airport in Arlington, VA experienced an enormous tragedy when an American Airlines Passenger Plane and a Military Blackhawk Helicopter collided.

During the early stages of that incident, SHIELD Chaplaincy was requested to provide support to all of the First Responders who were on site at the airport. The question is, why SHIELD? Why would SHIELD be asked to respond almost 4 hours away to an event and a location we aren't connected with? What could we possibly provide for those who are involved with this incident? Those are the questions we keeping being asked and that's what Chaplains Potter, Stephenson and Hughes sit down to answer in this episode.