Oakboro Town Council introduced to police department’s new chaplain

Published 4:26 pm Tuesday, February 16, 2021

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Oakboro Police Chief T.J. Smith introduced the new chaplain for the police department to the town council at Monday’s meeting.

Jonathan Waits has been the lead pastor for First Baptist Church in Oakboro since 2017. Previously, he was the pastor at Central Baptist Church in Church Road, Virginia. Waits went to seminary school in Denver, Colorado.

Smith said Waits recently completed the classes necessary to serve the department as chaplain from First Responders First, a local organization which first started providing chaplains to the NASCAR community. The chief said Waits will have a bulletproof vest and shirt from First, along with liability insurance.

“(Waits) has been spending a lot of time with the guys riding with them…being an open ear for them a lot of times,” Smith said.

Waits said he was glad for the chance to help the police department, adding they “are good guys.”

About Charles Curcio

Charles Curcio has served as the sports editor of the Stanly News & Press for more than 16 years and has written numerous news and feature storeis as well. He was awarded the NCHSAA Tim Stevens Media Representative of the Year and named CNHI Sports Editor of the Year in 2014. He has also won an award from Boone Newspapers, and has won four North Carolina Press Association awards.

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