The SHIELD Armory

Sleep....it's a rare commodity in the Law Enforcement and First Responder World. Long shifts, overtime, special events, and many other things make it anything other than easy to get sleep. This is where our guest on this episode comes in! Meet Jennifer Boileau! She is a Mindfulness Coach who specializes in helping Law Enforcement and First Responders learn practical ways to help them start sleepin...

Let's face it...law enforcement officers are put into situations that others could never dream of or will never experience. One of the worst situations they could ever find themselves in is the moment that lethal force becomes necessary. The use of lethal force is something that every officer knows comes with the job. It's something they must work out in their mind and heart long before graduating...

Let's face it, most people who enter the world of Law Enforcement do so with the plans to retire from that career one day. While retirement may be a long ways off, it's still the plan and one that preparations are starting to be made for on day one. However, what happens when things don't go the way you plan? What happens when there is a detour and your long-term plan doesn't unfold the way you th...

Let's face it...in the Law Enforcement world, there has been a stigma for years when it comes to mental health. No one has wanted to talk about it....no one has wanted to deal with it...and everyone was afraid if they did, their career would be over. Those days are over! The world we live in now is much different. The resources available, the conversation around it and the willingness to get those...

IT'S FINALLY HERE!!!! THE EPISODE EVERYONE HAS BEEN WAITING ON!!!! We truly believe that this will be our most listened to episode to date! While our Chaplains may not be officers, we work anything other than normal schedules, we spend countless hours in patrol cars standing shoulder to shoulder with the men and women who wear the uniform. We carry the weight of the world as we shoulder the needs...

Police Officers stand out...the uniform, the badge, the radio and all of the other equipment you wear makes it very obvious who you are. But, there is someone just as important who isn't as easily seen: the spouses at home waiting for you to walk through the door so they can breathe a sigh of relief that you're safe. While officers carry the weight of the calls for service, your spouse carries a d...

Police Officers stand out...the uniform, the badge, the radio and all of the other equipment you wear makes it very obvious who you are. But, there is someone just as important who isn't as easily seen: the spouses at home waiting for you to walk through the door so they can breathe a sigh of relief that you're safe. While officers carry the weight of the calls for service, your spouse carries a d...

Let's face it, the world around us is full of negativity! Then on top of that, you add the stresses of the job for Law Enforcement, Dispatchers and First Responders and the weight seems impossible to lift. What if we told you the weight of that negativity didn't have to weigh you down? What if we told you there is a completely different way of living? In this episode, Chaplains Potter, Stephenson...

When the SHIELD Armory was being dreamed up by our team, the question was asked: "Do you think any of the Chiefs of the Departments we serve would be willing to sit down with us for an interview some day?" Guess what....not only did they agree to do it, they were excited about it! In Week 4 of this series, you will hear from Chief Derek Weeks from the City of Salem Police Department in Salem, VA....

When the SHIELD Armory was being dreamed up by our team, the question was asked: "Do you think any of the Chiefs of the Departments we serve would be willing to sit down with us for an interview some day?" Guess what....not only did they agree to do it, they were excited about it! In Week 3 of this series, you will hear from Chief Scott Booth from the Roanoke City Police Department in Roanoke, VA....

When the SHIELD Armory was being dreamed up by our team, the question was asked: "Do you think any of the Chiefs of the Departments we serve would be willing to sit down with us for an interview some day?" Guess what....not only did they agree to do it, they were excited about it! In Week 2 of this series, you will hear from Chief Fabricio Drumond from the Vinton Police Department in Vinton, VA. D...

When the SHIELD Armory was being dreamed up by our team, the question was asked: "Do you think any of the Chiefs of the Departments we serve would be willing to sit down with us for an interview some day?" Guess what....not only did they agree to do it, they were excited about it! Wednesday will not only be the launch of Season 2, but it will also be the first of a 4 week series called, "Meet the...

This episode is the Season 1 Finale of the SHIELD Armory. Chaplains Potter, Stephenson & Hughes take a stroll down memory lane talking about some of their favorite moments of Season 1. They also take some time to give a little preview of what's to look forward to in Season 2 that will be coming out very soon. We are excited to tell you that Season 2 of the SHIELD Armory will be releasing on We...

Leadership, by one definition, is the ability to lead and guide a person, or a group of people, to achieve results they never could on their own. The question is, who sets the pace? Who steps up to lead? Who raises the bar for themselves and others around them? What does it look like for leaders to lead in a way that makes lasting impact? For years, the world of policing has seen a model of leader...

Parenting...the word alone is loaded! It carries a massive weight and responsibility. Whether you're already parents or not, trying to prepare to parent, or learning to parent as we go, can be incredibly challenging. That's why we have others to learn from who have already gone through the seasons we are either preparing to go through, or we are going through. That old saying, "it takes a village...

Just a little over a week ago, all 3 of our SHiELD Chaplains had the chance to travel to Washington DC to participate in Police Week 2025. Since returning home, we've been asked several questions quite frequently, "What is police week? What all did you do while you were there?" These questions haven't come just from people outside of law enforcement but from officers we work with as well. Chaplain...

Last week, we started a 2 week series on confronting the negativity in police work. This week, in the second episode of the series, we hear directly from a police officer who understands that negativity. He has struggled with it, but he's also someone who has consciously made a decision to move out of that and help lead in a way where others can see that negativity doesn't have to have the final w...

Negativity is known as the easy way to live life. It causes us to always see the bad in life, in the job, in the family, in everything. Unfortunately, negativity is often seen as a culture within the police world. Why is that? Why do so many officers find themselves caught up in so much negativity? Why do things appear so bad? In this episode, Chaplains Potter, Stephenson and Hughes set out on a d...

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 sha...

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 Chapl...

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...

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 pu...

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 w...

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,...

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...