St. Paul Lutheran Church Pastor Allen Werk is leaving his position as Genesee County Sheriff’s Office chaplain because he will be moving to Indiana in the coming weeks.
Werk served as the Sheriff’s Office chaplain for seven years. As a chaplain, Werk was often called upon to assist with death notifications and provide counseling services for Sheriff’s deputies. Werk occasionally rode along with patrol deputies to offer support.
Werk has been working with the Sheriff’s Office to identify other individuals who are interested in the chaplain position. The pastor has met with candidates, explained the duties of chaplain and shared his experiences. The Sheriff's Office is moving forward with interviews and looking to fill the position as soon as possible.
“I can’t thank him enough for everything he’s done for us," said Sheriff William Sheron Jr. "He’s been there in times of need for all the officers here. We relied on him heavily, both to help us with situations that we’ve encountered and tragic situations, but also assisting us with our personal lives.
“We thank him from the bottom of our hearts, and we wish him well."