Tale of Two Chaplains

“For the little time we are with someone, we become one with that person. We cry with them. We suffer with them.”

— Rabbi-Cantor Marie Betcher, Austin

Police chaplains seem to know everyone.

Every single day, they show up for someone on their worst day, becoming a central figure in a story they will never forget. That person will tell everyone in their circle about the chaplain who was there for them in the dark—and just like that, the circle grows. Day by day, year by year, a chaplain’s reach quietly expands until they aren't just a member of a community; they are woven into its very fabric.

The result is a network of trusted relationships. When a crisis hits, oftentimes the exact right help is only one phone call away. This is often referred to as social capital, but in this context, we call it a Living Resource Guide.

What does that look like in the real world?

Retired Rabbi-Cantor Marie Betcher in Austin and Chaplain Mindi Russell in Sacramento are living proof of this concept. Each has built a network that reaches far beyond any single department’s roster. They connect law enforcement with clergy, civic leaders, grassroots nonprofits, mental health professionals, first responders, and ordinary citizens who are ready to help when the world falls apart.

Their value becomes clearest in a crisis, when a department needs more than a list of phone numbers. In those moments, it needs a trusted face—someone who knows which person will actually answer the call, who can act immediately, and who is willing to stand in the gap.

Marie

Marie Betcher’s influence grew through her diverse work as a rabbi-cantor, congregational leader, police and fire chaplain, interfaith representative, and highly visible participant in Central Texas civic life. She became a chaplain with the Austin Police Department after years of simply showing up wherever people needed comfort, guidance, or connection, eventually making history as the first female rabbi-cantor to serve as APD’s Senior Chaplain. By the time that title came, the relationships were already deeply rooted.

For Marie, being a chaplain was about immersive, hands-on presence. Her understanding of the profession was shaped early on, largely because her husband Jonathan served as an Austin police officer during the first four years of their marriage, introducing her to the unique realities and bond of the law enforcement family. Years later, her understanding of mortality and transition was deepened by two years of dedicated service with the Chevra Kadisha (the Jewish Holy Society that prepares the dead for burial). Having experienced the profound weight of crises—from ride-outs where she witnessed officers de-escalating intense confrontations, to the painful duty of delivering death notifications—she approached every call with radical empathy: “For the little time we are with someone, we become one with that person. We cry with them. We suffer with them.”

But Marie’s "Living Resource Guide" extended far beyond the police precinct. An opera singer and concert pianist who has performed at Carnegie Hall, she has served on the board of Swan Songs, an Austin nonprofit that fulfills musical last wishes for the dying, and on the board of Interfaith Action of Central Texas. She actively bridged divides by speaking at the University of Texas, collaborating with MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Drivers), and blessing rescue animals—from K9s and first responder service dogs to senior dogs at local shelters.

Marie became a vital community conduit because she was as comfortable in a sanctuary, on a Harley, or at a civic roundtable as she was in the backseat of a patrol car. She connected resources to human needs because she loves people, and she remembers them.

Mindi

In Sacramento, Mindi Russell has built an equally expansive and deeply trusted network through her 28 years as the Senior Chaplain and Executive Director of the Law Enforcement Chaplaincy Sacramento (LECS). Her ministry is defined by training, mentoring, and mobilized crisis response, equipping chaplains throughout California to face trauma with courage and proactive care.

Mindi’s credibility with first responders, public officials, and families was forged in the fire of some of the most challenging events of the last few decades. She spent 16 grueling days at Ground Zero after the September 11 attacks, tending to the spiritual and emotional survival of responders in the first hours of the tragedy—a mission that would eventually leave her with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) from the airborne debris, but also with a profound, lived understanding of post-traumatic stress.

But it is Mindi's day-to-day presence in Sacramento that makes her a Living Resource Guide. During times of heightened community tension, natural disasters, and officer-involved deaths, Mindi is the steady force navigating the complex grief of first responders. She understands the "hyper-vigilance" required of those who wear the badge, and she actively works to rebuild trust between law enforcement and the neighborhoods they serve.

Her network spans every level of civic and emotional support, addressing critical issues like human trafficking, family crises, and survivor care. Like Marie, she does not wait to be remembered; she steps up, proactively knitting together public officials, faith leaders, and mental health professionals so that when tragedy strikes, a unified support system is already in motion.