By Shavonne Walker

shavonne.walker@salisburypost.com

SALISBURY — After recent shootings of black men and police across the country, more and more law enforcement agencies have contacted local sheriff’s chaplains to begin a prayer program at their agency.

The Rev. Michael Taylor, chaplain of the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office, said he’s gotten an influx of people who’ve contacted him about starting up a Shield-A-Badge With Prayer program. The program was one he started in Rowan County over 20 years ago. Taylor is pastor at Phaniels Baptist Church in Rockwell.

Law enforcement officers receive prayers from strangers through the Shield-A-Badge with Prayer program.

Churches and individuals sign up for the program and get an officer’s name and pray for that officer for a year. Some people send officers thank you notes, gift baskets, birthday or Christmas cards.

He’s gotten phone calls and emails over the last several weeks from people asking if they could still sign up and law enforcement agencies asking how to start one.

“We need to pray for them. It’s a tough time,” he said.

He said we live in a kind of world now where people don’t value life anymore, Taylor said.

For more information about the Shield-A-Badge with Prayer program, contact Chaplain Michael Taylor at 704-782-7201 or submit name, address, phone number by mail to 2675 Phaniels Church Road, Rockwell, NC 28138.

Taylor has asked participants to renew their commitment and others who’ve never joined to make the commitment to pray for an officer or responder.