Chaplain Bill Wolfe
Llano County Sheriff’s Department
“TCLEOSE or not TCLEOSE, that is the question. Whether ‘tis nobler to Patrol or to SWAT?” Fiddle. I have about as much luck with Shakespeare as I do with making up songs. J
Hi and welcome to the April Edition of the Chaplain’s Corner. Hmm…April’s Fool joke to pull … well, now … most people won’t be reading this column on April 1, so perhaps I’d be just as well off just to not. Butchering Shakespeare was bad enough.
Words of explanation for non-Texans: TCLEOSE is the acronym for Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Officers Standards and Education. They are the licensing agency for peace officers in the State of Texas. The licensing test they administer is called “the TCLEOSE Test” or simply referred to as “The TCLEOSE.”
The Texas Code of Criminal Procedure, Chapter 2.12, contains a comprehensive listing of who are considered peace officers in the State of Texas. Those of you who teach in a Texas academy probably can rattle them all off without looking. For most of us, it might be easier to tell you who wasn’t – like a “rent-a-cop.” But, when does one actually become a peace officer? That’s where I want to draw your attention for a few minutes this time out and show you the similarities between “who is a peace officer” and “who is a Christian.” (I heard that…someone said “Who’s on First.” J)
For those of us who are LEOs, the answer is probably immediately obvious, but let me rehearse some steps that get us there.
Training. There may still be some exceptions, but most of us have gone through some training academy. I went to a Community College and took a 560 hour course. Many of you had a lot more training than that, I know. But that doesn’t make one a peace officer.
Uniform. Undercover notwithstanding, we all have put on a uniform at some point, but the uniform by itself or the uniform + academy doesn’t make one a peace officer.
TCLEOSE. True, all Texas peace officers have to pass the TCLEOSE and continue to meet their continuing education requirements to become and remain a licensed peace officer, but that’s not what gives us the right to claim the title “peace officer.”
We can sit in the car and work the radio and lights. We can actually pin on a badge, but only be a “rent-a-cop,” not the real thing.
I hear ya: “Enough already; we get the point.” We became peace officers at the time we had the courage to stand up, raise our right hand and be sworn in. What happened? Authority was bestowed on us. In a sense our lives ceased to become our own. We now are expected to demonstrate “conduct becoming an officer.”
The same basic principles hold true to becoming and being a Christian. Religious training teaches you about spiritual things just like academy teaches you about the Penal Code and Code of Criminal Procedure, but it doesn’t make you a Christian.
“Clothes don’t make the man.” Dressing up and going to church on the day of your choice doesn’t make you a Christian any more than sitting in the car playing with the lights and siren makes you a cop.
The TCLEOSE test of Christianity is summed up in Jesus’ question: “But Who do you say that I am?” When you look closely at the question, He’s not actually asking “Who do you think I am,” but rather “Who do you believe in your heart I am?”
God’s “Swearing in Ceremony” is when we choose to stand before Him and acknowledge His sacrifice on our behalf, formally accept that sacrifice and place our lives in His hands. At that point Authority is bestowed on us. The Apostle John says it this way: “To as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become the children of God, even those who believe in His name.” (John 1:12 NASB)
As an aside: there is also a similarity between peace officers and departments that correspond to Christians and denominations: you can be a commissioned officer and work for Parks & Wildlife, DPS, the PD or the SO, but just because you’re an employee of a department doesn’t make you a peace officer.
Why tell you all that? A couple of reasons, not least of which is that I believe that some day soon the distinction between Christian and Churchian will become important. Also, the media in this country all too often takes the position that you’re a Christian by default if you’re not a member of any other world religion. ’Tain’t so.
The world events are shaping up according to Biblical prophecy and things will start unraveling before long. (You can read about it in the Book of Revelation.) When things start “going South,” it will make a difference whether a person is spiritually a “peace officer” or just a “rent-a-cop.”
Outta time again…blessings to you and yours.
Chaplain Bill
llanochaps@moment.net
