NYC – Prominent Black and Catholic Faith Leaders Appointed NYPD Co-Chaplains

2026-02-10 - 13:27

Newly retired Cardinal Timothy Dolan and Brooklyn megachurch founder Rev. A.R. Bernard have been named co-chaplains of the New York Police Department, stepping into key spiritual leadership roles following the death of longtime NYPD chaplain Rabbi Alvin Kass, officials announced Monday. Dolan, 76, and Bernard, 72, will be formally installed later this month as senior religious advisers to the nation’s largest police force. Their appointments come after Kass, who served New York’s Finest for nearly 60 years, died in October. Announcing the selections, NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch cited the Hebrew word “Tzadik,” meaning a person of righteousness, to describe the two men. “Cardinal Timothy Dolan and Reverend A.R. Bernard are two of the most righteous people this City has ever known,” Tisch said in a statement. “They are two men of incredible faith whose life and leadership embody the moral clarity, compassion, and wisdom our officers rely on in their hardest moments.” The announcement follows Dolan’s recent retirement after nearly 17 years as Archbishop of New York. Earlier this month, he formally handed over leadership of the archdiocese to Archbishop Ronald Hicks during a ceremony at St. Patrick’s Cathedral. Though born in Missouri, Dolan has long considered himself an adopted New Yorker and confirmed he plans to remain in the city. A consistent supporter of law enforcement, Dolan publicly defended police officers during the nationwide unrest following the 2020 killing of George Floyd. In an opinion piece published that July, he urged the public to avoid condemning all officers. “Our valiant police officers have one of the most perilous, stressful duties around,” Dolan wrote. “Now we have added to their load with continual, at times exaggerated, rash and inaccurate criticism.” Ordained in 1976, Dolan was appointed to the Council of Cardinals in 2012 and participated in the Vatican conclaves that elected both Pope Francis and Pope Leo XIV. He told The New York Times that serving as an NYPD chaplain offers a return to his pastoral roots, calling the role “a great way for me to kind of come to the final innings of my own priestly life.” Bernard, a leading voice in the Black Christian community, founded the Christian Cultural Center, which operates from an 11.5-acre campus in Brooklyn’s Starrett City and has expanded to Long Island, Florida, and Georgia. The ministry serves more than 37,000 members, according to its website. In November, Bernard received a Distinguished Recognition Award from the NYPD Guardians Association, a fraternal organization representing African American officers. Reflecting on the honor, he emphasized leadership rooted in integrity and service. “The inscription on the plaque reminded me of the responsibility we all share to lead with integrity and to serve our communities with compassion,” Bernard said in a Facebook post. “Service is a privilege—and community is always worth the work.” Bernard has also spoken out against the “defund the police” movement. During a 2020 livestream with then–first deputy commissioner Benjamin B. Tucker, he underscored the risks officers face daily. “I think police officers put their lives on the line every day,” Bernard said. “Their families pray for them to come home every day.” NYPD chaplains provide confidential counseling, spiritual support, and moral guidance, and respond directly to serious incidents involving officers and civilian personnel. “For decades, [Dolan and Bernard] have helped shape the spiritual life of this city through leadership that reaches far beyond their pulpits,” Tisch said. “Their decision to serve the NYPD speaks to the enduring relationship between faith and policing, and to the importance of the chaplaincy within the department.”