Beyond the Badge

By Darrell Owens

Beyond the Badge is the beating heart of a living, breathing
person whose only difference from anyone else is the dedication
to serve his fellow man and protect the community
to the point of giving his own life or taking the life of another,
if necessary, to fulfill the oath to which he is sworn.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Trilogy Christian Publishing
• Release date: Mar 5, 2019
• ISBN: 9781640882348

Book preview

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BEYOND THE BADGE

Darrell Owens

Trilogy Christian Publishers

TUSTIN, CALIFORNIA

Table of Contents

Angel

Table of Contents

Foreward ix

Introduction xv

1. How It All Began 1

2. The Death of a Police Chief 5

3. The Laguna Beach Firestorm 17

4. No Greater Love 29

5. A Day Interrupted 37

6. Why Did God Let My Mommy Die? 43

7. Suicide, the Worst Goodbye 51

8. A Homicide 75

9. A Trip to Disneyland 81

10. The Train Wreck 87

11. Last Rites 93

12. A Day to Walk Slow 97

13. Three Events 103

14. Bullet Wound to the Heart 113

15. Hot Sheet Articles 125

Chapter 1

HOW IT ALL BEGAN

I was sitting in my office at Anaheim, California where I was enjoying the fourth year as senior pastor in what I considered to be the best city in the world. Anaheim has all the amenities of a nice place to live.

We enjoyed the church and school where my wife and I both spent most every day, and we lived directly behind the church on a nice cul-de-sac where we knew all the neighbors. We could watch the fireworks from Disneyland from our balcony each evening during the summer. We had a church and school filled with happy kids and nice people to work with. I had no idea of the encounters I would experience as a result of the next phone call I was about to receive.

That call was from Pastor Bryan Crow. He was the pastor of a church nearby and had become a good friend. His approach is always direct and right to the point. He said, Darrell, how would you like to serve as a chaplain to the Anaheim Police Department? I said, I would love it. He said, Okay, meet me at the police department in Sergeant Jim George’s office.

He gave me a date about two weeks away. I would learn later than neither of us had any idea of what we had just volunteered to do. A member of Pastor Crow’s congregation, Captain Randy Gaston, had been assigned by Anaheim Police Chief Joe Malloy to create a chaplain program for the department. Captain Gaston had asked Pastor Crow to find some other pastors who would be willing to serve the department as chaplains. Pastor Crow often said that I was his first choice and his biggest mistake.

I was soon branded with the title of Chaplain Rambo by Chief Joe Malloy, and I did my best to live up to it. We met with Sergeant George in December of 1989, and the Anaheim Police Chaplain program was officially launched in January of 1990. Sergeant Jim George became one of my best friends, and he was a great supporter of the chaplains. He called us The God Squad, a term we accepted graciously. His leadership was one of the major components of success in the early formation of the chaplain corps.

None of us really knew what was expected of a police chaplain. Chief Malloy and Captain Gaston had left it to us to determine the objectives and duties of the chaplains. So, under the determined leadership of Sgt. George we began developing the Anaheim Police Chaplain Program for his approval. The International Conference of Police Chaplains (ICPC) had announced their spring conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and I was appointed to attend and bring back all information and recommendations I could gather on creating a police chaplain program.

From the information and training gathered in that conference, I was able to provide the original draft of the Operating and Procedure Manual for the Anaheim Police Department. After editing and review by the other chaplains and the sergeant, it was sent to the chief via chain of command and was approved.

The Anaheim Police Department officially had a team of four police chaplains ready for service. The four of us were issued uniforms and other essential equipment for our duties as chaplains. We began attending the daily briefings of the patrol and traffic officers and introducing ourselves to the civilian personnel of the department. Sergeant George was diligent in making sure the chaplains were included in every event, and the chaplains were accepted by the Anaheim Police Family. We soon felt like we were an essential part of that family.

The purpose in writing this book is to share some of the events that helped to shape my thinking as a chaplain and enhance my abilities as a pastor to care for hurting people while maintaining a healthy balance between my personal life, my ministry, and my role as a police chaplain.

Some of the events I describe are necessarily graphic in nature, but without them, I could never adequately portray the sights, sounds, or smells of any of these events, and I cannot describe the overwhelming sadness of the people involved or the awesome grace of God to comfort and give hope where all hope is gone.

Trilogy Christian Publishers

A Wholly Owned Subsidiary of Trinity Broadcasting Network

2442 Michelle Drive Tustin, CA 92780

Copyright © 2019 by Darrell Owens

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise noted, taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Scripture quotations marked (KJV) taken from The Holy Bible, King James Version. Cambridge Edition: 1769.

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever. For information, contact Trilogy Christian Publishing, Rights Department2442 Michelle Drive, Tustin, CA 92780.

First Trilogy Christian Publishing hardcover edition December 2018

Cover design by Jeff Summers from Toward Something Creative Design Studio ([e-mail])

Image of the Anaheim Police Chaplains Badge used by permission of the Anaheim Police Dept.

Trilogy Christian Publishing/ TBN and colophon are trademarks of Trinity Broadcasting Network.

For information about special discounts for bulk purchases, please contact Trilogy Christian Publishing.

Manufactured in the United States of America

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available.

ISBN: 978-1-64088-233-1

ISBN: 978-1-64088-234-8 (eBook)

Darrell Owens is a pastor, evangelist and author. He served as chaplain to the Anaheim, Ca. Police Dept for 20 years. He was also President of The Southern California Chaplains’ Association. His perspective as a pastor and a police chaplain has allowed him the opportunity to share the experiences of people from every segment of the community and represent the presence of God on the best days and the worst days of their lives.

ANGEL

The City of Anaheim Police Department makes good use of their helicopters to keep a watchful eye over the city. The pilots who are police officers are trained to respond to virtually any situation requiring an eye in the sky. They are referred to within the department and by radio designation as Angel.

Our city also enjoys the reputation as being the Anaheim Resort which refers to the entertainment and resort facilities within the city. We have Disneyland, Anaheim Stadium, and The Honda Center, to mention the most well-known forums.

The Honda Center, formerly known as The Arrowhead Pond, is an indoor facility built to house The Mighty Ducks ice hockey team. It is used for all types of events. During the ice hockey season, the floor is a solid sheet of ice, and it is beautiful to see in the soft glow of low lights when no one is there.

Someone had the idea of doing a photo shoot of the helicopter pilots with the helicopter inside the pond and on the ice. That required approval from the Captain as well as the management of The Pond.

The approval was given, and while the helicopter and the photographer were there, a few others were invited to have their photos made with the helicopter also. I received a call from the sergeant who said, If you guys want your picture with the helicopter inside The Pond, get down here right away!

All four chaplains showed up, and we stood around on the ice waiting our turn until our feet were frozen and our knees were numb. We got a good group shot of all the chaplains for our office wall. The other three chaplains left to thaw out, but I waited around until everyone had finished.

I was wondering how they got that helicopter inside The Pond and how were they planning to get it out. Just as they were finishing up, the photographer turned to me and said, Would you like a photo of yourself with Angel inside The Pond?

There are some things you need to pray about, some things you need to think about, some things you ask your wife about, and other things that are a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. When that opportunity comes along, you just say, Yes!

Thanks to Angel and those who watch over us from the sky.

Dedication

This book is dedicated to my family.

They are the joy of my life.

To my wife, Barbara