Mission & History

Serving the Hearts and Minds of Central Oregon's First Responders

The Central Oregon Police Chaplaincy (COPC) was established in 1997.

Pastor Jim Crowley, who at the time was the senior pastor of the Bend Church of the Nazarene, was already a volunteer Police Chaplain for the City of Bend Police Department.

COPC applied for and was granted status as a 501(c)3 organization on April 16, 1999

The Central Oregon Law Enforcement Services (COLES) Board requested to contract with COPC for a full-time Chaplaincy ministry to care for their agencies and personnel.

On March 1st of 2003, the COPC board petitioned Chaplain Jim Crowley to accept the responsibility of full-time Chaplain for the COPC and the agencies of COLES.

On March 9th, 2017 the COPC Board of Directors voted to change the name of Central Oregon Police Chaplaincy to Central Oregon Public Safety Chaplaincy. This name change better reflects the mission of COPC: "Serving the Hearts and Minds of Central Oregon's First Responders". Central Oregon Public Safety Chaplains serve the Law Enforcement, Fire & Rescue, EMS, Search & Rescue, and Dispatch Centers of Crook, Deschutes, and Jefferson Counties!

Chaplain Mike Dismore became Executive Chaplain on May 2019 & retired on August 2020

Chaplain Joel Stutzman became Executive Chaplain on June 2020 and resigned on October 2021

Chaplain David Green became the Executive Chaplain on October 2021