When Michael “Mike” Taylor was called to the Phaniels Baptist Church in Rockwell as pastor more than 30 years ago, he brought with him a lifetime connection to law enforcement including a stint as the chaplain for the Stanly County Sheriff’s Office and the Oakboro Police Department.

This June, he will celebrate 33 years as chaplain for the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office, but another anniversary celebrated this year means more to him. This year marks the 30th year of the Shield a Badge program he initiated.

Shield a Badge is a volunteer program that matches a community prayer partner with a deputy or officer for one year. During that year, the prayer partner is asked to pray for their law enforcement partner every day, and to send a card to them, in care of their office, three times a year: on their birthday, at Christmas and during Law Enforcement Memorial Week. Right now, there are about 200 prayer partners in the program.

“I believe this program is a contributing factor in our low rate of officers killed in the line of duty and even of officers who are injured,” Taylor said. “I know there are officers who have gone to 9-1-1 calls and thought ‘I hope my prayer partner is praying today.'”

Taylor said the program is “one of the best things” he’s ever done. He got the idea from a couple in Texas who actually came up with the idea as a way of honoring their three sons who went into law enforcement. Taylor said he reached out to them and they gave their blessing for him to create a program in North Carolina. Since then he has designed a manual for any other counties who want to incorporate the program.

He also designed a logo that has a star overlaid with a badge with praying hands over it all.

Prayer partners have no direct contact with the officers assigned to them, unless the officer requests it or unless the partner asks for and receives permission. It is designed solely to be a prayer mission. Home addresses remain private, as do birth years.

“A lot of the female officers aren’t keen on sharing birth years,” said Taylor, “and I respect that.” But the birth month and day are shared so partners can send cards. Any contact is made through the department, but Taylor said if he gets word a deputy is involved in any kind of incident, he tries to let their prayer partner know that extra prayers are needed.

Taylor has served under four sheriffs in Rowan, starting under Bob Martin. Twice a week, he visits the sheriff’s office and makes the rounds, visiting deputies who work in the jail, the magistrate’s office, the 9-1-1 communications center, which he says is the “forgotten office, because it all starts there but they don’t get to see how it ends,” and he also makes it a point to visit and connect with other departments.

He has, over the years, given out copies of the New Testament to all deputies and as many other officers as possible, all with the Shield a Badge logo and a note inside expressing appreciation for what those who work in any area of law enforcement do. He has had New Testaments created with logos specific to what their job is, from judges to lawyers and everything in between.

The program is a non-profit and any funds he raises through the year he then uses to purchase a small Christmas gift for all deputies. Currently, he has hefty pocket knives made with the Shield a Badge logo on the blade, so officers have something to remind them they are both appreciated and prayed for.

He has never had any deputy decline to participate, he said, and prayer partners can request more than one officer. After one year, they can request a new officer or they can stay with the one they were originally assigned.

The Shield a Badge isn’t Taylor’s only non-profit involvement. He has been a member of the NC Sheriff’s Chaplains Association for 33 years, and has served as its executive director for the last 15 years. There are about 100 members currently and the organization holds training twice a year. Taylor has never once missed a training session, and his role as director means he also plans and executes all the training sessions.

“I ask what kind of training people would like to have, then I take that information and arrange speakers, get lodging and a facility, lock in dates, plan the whole event,” he said. “And somehow, I guess I was meant to be there because I have never had a time that a conflict prevented my being there.”

But there have been times Taylor has been called away from his regular routine, times when officers have been hurt or killed, and he is called to the scene. He has been there to support spouses, parents, families and fellow officers at crime scenes, during notifications and even during identification. None of it is easy, but he is convinced he is doing what he was called to do.

“I never think about retirement,” he said. “I love what I do, and I plan to do it until I absolutely can’t anymore. I wouldn’t change places with anyone.” He grew up in South Carolina and thought he’d never leave there, but when he was called to become a minister in Rockwell, he went, and he hasn’t looked back. He is committed to his church and to the department he serves.

“I would love for every state to have this program,” Taylor added. “When you start working with a department, the officers have to build trust in you. They think you’re going to their boss and tell them what you know about them. It isn’t true, but you have to work to develop that trust. This program helps break the ice. I come to them and ask about their prayer needs, and they understand that I am in this for them. Now I have people who come to me with needs because they know it’s confidential, but that trust is essential.”

And the Shield a Badge not only builds trust between Taylor and law enforcement, it builds bonds within the community with deputies when they know that a prayer partner has volunteered to support them every single day.

Anyone can volunteer to be a prayer partner by filling out the form or by filling out the contact form here.