Shield Chap

06/05/2026

Honoring a Hero: Deputy Logan Utt

This week, our SHIELD Team has had the incredible privilege to serve the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office during the tragic loss of Deputy Logan Utt.

Monday and Tuesday, we were able to serve directly at Carroll County for both the Sheriff’s department and also with members of the community. This was done in partnership with Virginia Law Enforcement Assistance Program.

Today, the team traveled to Mt. Airy NC to attend and offer any assistance needed for the funeral service. It was a service that both honored the Lord and honored the life of Deputy Utt.

At a later date, we will return to Carroll County to assist with peer support before wrapping up our time there.

Things you can pray for:

📌 Deputy Utt’s family
📌 Carroll County Sheriff’s Office
📌 The Carroll County community
📌 SHIELD Team & others who will be serving in the coming days

Thank you to everyone & every department who makes it possible to do what we do! It’s truly our heart to serve those who serve us all!

06/04/2026

🚨May 2026 SHIELD Response & Stats Report🚨

As the weather begins to warm up outside, our response and stats are following the same trend. May turned out to be an extremely busy month for our team as you can see in the attached report.

Here are a few noteworthy things that took place last month:

📢 Official new partnership with Vinton Police Department, VA
📢 SHIELD was requested to help with the National K9 Memorial during Police Week
📢 SHIELD Team assisting with Police Week Events both in Roanoke & Washington DC
📢 Chaplains Potter & Stephenson became certified in ASAP (Therapy used to help lower distress levels in officers & first responders)
📢 Multiple Peer Deployments & Callouts to assist Law Enforcement during and after Critical Incidents

Thank you for your continued prayers and support for SHIELD! Without you all standing behind us and with us, we would be unable to do what we do.

To find out more about who we are or how to become a SHIELD Supporter, you can scan the QR code on the graphic or you can visit: www.shiedchap.org

06/01/2026

Will you join us in praying for our Heroes?

It's been a very difficult several days across our state. Between Carroll County Sheriff's Office & Chesterfield County Police, 4 Officers & a K9 were shot in the line of duty over the weekend.

Deputy Logan Utt, from the Carroll County Sheriff's Office, lost his life during a well-being check on Friday night and another deputy sustained non life-threatening gunshot wounds (according to public department updates).

On Sunday, 2 officers from the Chesterfield County Police Department were shot and K9 Knight was killed during a response to a domestic disturbance call. Both officers are hospitalized in critical but stable condition (according to public department updates).

We ask you to join us in praying for each of these officers, the Handler of K9 Knight, their families, the departments they serve and the communities that have been impacted by the events of this weekend. It's hard to feel like there's anything we can all do during a time like this. However, your fervent prayer is one of the greatest gifts you can offer to those that are directly and indirectly impacted.

05/30/2026

We join in the mourning for our fallen brother in Carrol County. Please join us in praying for this hurting family, department and community.

Our hearts are heavy as we mourn alongside the Carroll County Sheriff's Office following the tragic loss of one of their deputies in the line of duty.

Today, we are reminded of the tremendous sacrifices made by law enforcement officers and their families in service to their communities. The loss of a deputy is not only felt within an agency's walls, but throughout the entire law enforcement family.

We extend our deepest condolences to the family, friends, and colleagues of Deputy Utt, as well as all members of the Carroll County Sheriff's Office during this unimaginable time. We also ask that you keep the deputy injured in this incident in your thoughts and prayers, and join us in wishing them strength, comfort, and a full recovery in the days ahead.

As neighboring agencies and members of the law enforcement profession, we stand with Carroll County during this difficult time. May we honor the life, service, and sacrifice of the fallen deputy by never forgetting the commitment he made to protect others.

Rest easy, Deputy Utt. We have the watch from here.

05/25/2026

Today we Honor those who gave everything.
Today we Remember the sacrifice.
Today we Pray for the families with an empty seat at the table.

“There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”
‭‭John‬ ‭15‬:‭13‬ ‭

05/23/2026

💬We want to hear from you!!💬

Comment below and let us know what you think Chaplain Potter is trying to explain in this photo.

Extra Points for a completely wrong answer!

05/21/2026

🚨SHIELD Stats for April 2026🚨

Every month, we find ourselves using the same phrase, "It was a busy month." Truth is, every month is busy in the world we serve. Every Law Enforcement Officer, Dispatcher, Firefighter, Paramedic...their world never stops and because of that, neither does ours.

As you can see, we are constantly on the move. Whether that's attending a department lineup, visiting dispatch centers, responding to critical incidents, offering counseling, or whatever the need might be, we are able to be there because of your willingness to support us!

Thank you to every person, church or business who supports in prayer, who supports us financially, or who supports us with a kind word of encouragement. Everything you do matters!

Because of your partnership, we are able to be there, in person, at any moment!

Just as a reminder, here are the departments we serve:
Roanoke Police Department - VA
Roanoke County, VA Police Department
City of Salem, Virginia Police Department
Vinton Police Department, VA
Standing Watch - Office of the Sheriff, Franklin County, Va
Roanoke Division of the DEA
Salem Fire & EMS Department
City of Roanoke 911 Center
Salem 911 Center
Roanoke County E911
Franklin County E911

05/17/2026

Chaplain Potter and Scarlett are home after a very full week of caring for survivor families and friends of officers killed in the line of duty from all over the country. From attending the K9 memorial ceremony, praying and reading the names and end of watch summaries at a ceremony honoring motor officers, visiting various federal LE agencies, attending the FOP memorial, to simply hanging around the LE Memorial site, Chaplain Potter and Scarlett met with several hundred people.

THANK YOU to all of you who partner with SHIELD to allow us to serve those who serve us all. There are so many heartbreaking stories, but they are not ours to share. Just know that you are impacting lives locally and, at key moments, for people around the country.

(To learn more or to give, see www.shieldchap.org.)

05/13/2026

May 10-16 is National Police Week

During this week, as a nation, we take time to Respect, Honor and Remember those who have served and have made the ultimate sacrifice in that service.

Starting off the week, Chaplain Hughes was able to meet up with Law Enforcement United. They are a cycling team made up of family members and former/current police officers, who have lost family members or partners on the job, that were traveling to Washington DC for Police Week. They made a one night stop in Roanoke to sleep, recharge and prepare for the rest of their journey. He had a chance to pray for their safety and endurance for the rest of the trip.

Chaplains Potter & Stephenson have been in Washington DC for Police Week and have had the ability to serve there in a number of ways. They were able to accompany Officer Frosell, from the Roanoke Police Department, to Monday's K9 Remembrance Ceremony. You may remember K9 Knox who was tragically lost in the line of duty in 2025.

Scarlett & Moose have been able to provide lots of comfort to families & officers who are at Police Week to honor and remember family members and partners who they have lost. They've also been able to reconnect with classmates from Mutts With A Mission, as well as their handlers.

The week isn't finished yet and we can't wait to see all of the ways God continues to allow them to be used during the coming days.

Thank you for your support that gives us the opportunity to serve those who serve us all, whether that is here in the Roanoke Valley or whether it is in Washington DC. No matter where we go, it's because of you that we get to do it!

05/11/2026

🚨New Partnership Announcement!!!🚨

On Tuesday May 5, Chief Fabricio Drumond from the Vinton Police Department, VA made a formal announcement to the Vinton Town Council about the partnership between Vinton Police Department and SHIELD Chaplaincy.

With a true heart for Officer Wellness, Chief Drumond and his team have been hard at work dreaming and drawing up plans for a well thought out and comprehensive wellness plan for their officers and staff.

Their plan includes 4 pillars & SHIELD fits directly into two of them: Faith & Family.

This is an exciting partnership that also gives us the unique and incredible responsibility to now serve EVERY Police Department in the Roanoke Valley.

To everyone who continues to support us with prayers, finances & any other means of support, Thank You just doesn't seem like enough. It's because of you and your heart, to help us serve those who serve us all, that we get to continue growing and serving the men and women who continually take care of us!