Serving Those Who Protect

Through the experience gathered in real time and an embeded presence with officers at work and in their homes, Paraclete address the spiritual care often missing from the busy and complicated lives of officers and their families.  Shift work make it very difficult for officers and professional staff to attend church services and be an active participant in thier faith communities.  Being present on scene, in the academy, at briefings, and at critical incidents we build genuine, ongoing relationships with officers across every shift, every season, and every circumstance. We are present before the crisis, during it, and long after. And because our chaplains operate under Clergy-Penitent Privilege, officers can be fully honest in a way they often cannot be with department-connected resources. We are not a program — we are people, walking alongside people.

The demands on law enforcement have never been greater. Officers face the highest statistics of any profession for divorce, suicide, substance abuse, domestic violence, and stress-related illness. They are under constant threat — not just physically, but mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. While mental health resources have improved, the spiritual dimension of officer wellness is still largely overlooked. Paraclete exists to fill that gap, offering confidential, faith-based support that addresses the whole person.  Perhaps most important is Paraclete helps prepare officers, professional staff, and their families IN ADVANCE of the events that will deeply impact the lives of those on scene, supporting, or at home. 

Paraclete is an independent Christian ministry, not affiliated with a specific church or denomination. Our foundation is rooted in Scripture and the person of Jesus Christ, and we serve officers and families of all backgrounds without condition.  We are uniquily perpared to walk alongside officers with or without faith, loving them as Christ loves us.

Paraclete was founded in Phoenix, Arizona in 2015, where it built a deep relationship with the Phoenix Police Department and many other local, state, and federal agencies.

The ministry is now expanding its reach to Tennessee, bringing the same model of presence-based chaplaincy to a new region and new law enforcement communities. 

Specifically Paraclete is focused on the Law Enforcememt Academy to serve in a greater, PROACTIVE, capacity to prepare these special people in advance in order to prevent the circumstances that so often destroy lives, relationships, careers and pubilic trust. 

One of the most significant shifts in Paraclete’s ministry is a proactive focus on the Police Academy. Rather than only responding to crisis, we believe in preparing officers before the weight of the job takes its toll. The Academy is where every officer — new and seasoned — converges, making it the ideal place to build or strengthen thier foundation of faith, resilience, and healthy relationships. Our Academy focus includes preparation for the spiritual and emotional demands of the job, marriage and family health training, mentorship, and discipleship — all in a confidential, safe environment.

Paraclete chaplains operate under Clergy-Penitent Privilege, which provides the highest level of legal confidentiality available. Officers, supervisors, command staff, professional staff and their families can speak freely without fear of repercussion to their career or department standing.   This safe space is foundational to everything we do — officers cannot receive real help if they don’t feel safe enough to ask for it.

Yes. Paraclete is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, and all donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.

Because Paraclete operates with a lean structure and a ministry-first philosophy, your gift goes directly toward sustaining chaplaincy presence and resources for officers and theif families — not layers of overhead. There is never a cost to officers, their families, or their departments for any of our services or ministry. Your generosity is what funds every ride-along, every hospital visit, every 2 a.m. phone call, and every moment of care we provide.

Paraclete was founded by Bob Fesmire, who serves as Executive Director. Bob brings over 35 years of professional pastoral leadership and more than 30 years of volunteer service, the last 11 as a full time Chaplain to Phoenix Police Department. While Bob began as a Chaplain over 30 years ago, he started Paraclete as a full-time calling in 2015. His wife Jennifer serves alongside him, providing care specifically for female officers and professional staff, and joining in marriage counseling and family support.

Paraclete is also governed by a board of qualified and skilled professionals who provide accountability, strategic oversight, and organizational integrity — ensuring that the ministry remains faithful to its mission and responsible to its donors.