The Rev. Jack Barrell easily ticks off...

The Rev. Jack Barrell easily ticks off the reasons he loves his volunteer job as chaplain to the Tustin Police Department. Every chance to ride shotgun, he says, is an opportunity to help.

But Barrell, a sociable person who never seems to run out of things to say, grows quiet when asked about the downsides. There is really just one: notifying relatives when there’s been a death.

“What can you do for these people? What can you? That’s where I just say ‘OK, Lord, I’m walking up to the front door. Let’s go, it’s just you and I,’ ” he said.

Barrell, 67, is part of a little-known group of religious leaders from all faiths and denominations who make up the Orange County Chaplains Assn. The more than 150 members are assigned to work with law enforcement agencies.

Barrell and others are trained as reserve officers and know how to handle a weapon. They generally engage in support work, such as directing traffic at an accident scene, controlling crowds or providing backup.

Their job is to provide spiritual guidance to whoever might need it, said Darrell Owens, a senior pastor and president of the county’s chaplain group. Routine patrol might require Barrell to comfort the family of a murder victim, counsel a teenager caught drinking alcohol or soothe a disoriented person.

But mostly, Barrell and law enforcement chaplains are there for the officers. Law enforcement places unique burdens on its men and women: They’re more prone to stress, heart disease and depression, more likely to experience marital problems and divorce.

That’s not surprising, Barrell says, given that officers frequently see only tragedy and pain during a typical shift.

“Sometimes it’s putting your hand on an officer’s shoulder and telling them, ‘You did all you could,’ ” said Lt. Mike Shanahan, who oversees the Tustin department’s chaplain program. “Their mere presence is something that reminds you of the good there is in life, and the good there is in humanity.”

Shanahan said he often watches in amazement when Barrell makes his way into the station. Officers line up for a handshake or a hug, to show off family photos or share a problem. Shanahan said Barrell’s background helps his popularity. A father of two, Barrell is a former Indiana lawman who retired after 25 years. He’s been a man of the cloth longer than that. He became a pastor before becoming a law enforcement officer.

Night patrol is Barrell’s preferred shift because that’s when officers need him the most, he says. The deputies’ families are home while they’re patrolling the streets. And Barrell knows how lonely that can be.

“This is the type of ministry that can only happen in the privacy of a patrol car.”