Editor note: Law Enforcement Today proudly launched a brand new channel on Pray.com - the largest faith-based app in the world. On that channel is this new series - Sheepdog and Shepherd - where we talk all about God’s hand in law enforcement. It’s free to watch... but subscribers get all sorts of bonus content - and every single penny donated to our channel gets fully reinvested into telling stories like this one. Thanks for checking it out and helping us to continue to show how God is on the move. Here’s our latest episode.
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On a recent episode of “Sheepdog and Shepherd,” Tom Smith, a veteran NYPD officer, shared how his faith and career in law enforcement have shaped his life.
The podcast, dedicated to exploring “God’s hand in law enforcement,” pulled back the curtain on the challenges officers face and the faith that sustains them.
Tom began with a memory that set the tone for his career: “I was in the car with my daughter, who at the time was about 18, 19 months old, going to a store to pick up some food for the afternoon. I stopped at a red light and realized there was no music on the radio, which was odd. Turned the radio up, and it’s a DJ interviewing this woman, and she’s explaining that a plane just hit one of the World Trade Center Towers.”
Like many officers of his generation, 9/11 was not only a national tragedy but also a personal turning point.
Kyle noted that law enforcement itself is biblical, saying, “As we all know, law enforcement and law and order are biblical at the very core.” Tom agreed, sharing how his work had become inseparable from his faith.
“You can’t do this job without leaning on something greater than yourself,” he said. “There are days you see things no human being should ever have to see, and if you don’t have Christ to fall back on, the weight can crush you.”
The conversation moved beyond policing as a profession and into its role as a calling. Tom described moments when the demands of duty collided with the fragility of family life.
“There were nights my wife would ask if I was coming home, and I couldn’t answer her. I didn’t want to lie, but I didn’t want to scare her either. That’s the reality. You put the badge on, and you don’t know if you’ll take it off again at the end of the shift,” he said.
For Von, this balance between service and sacrifice is central to the podcast’s mission.
“The show is about reminding people that law enforcement officers are not just uniforms or statistics. They are fathers, mothers, husbands, and wives, trying to live their faith in the hardest of places.”
Tom recounted a story of being called to a violent scene and wrestling with the fear that gripped him. “I remember sitting in the car, praying, ‘Lord, just let me make the right decision in the next five minutes. Help me protect those who can’t protect themselves.’ It’s not about being fearless. It’s about being faithful when fear shows up.”
The episode concluded with a note of encouragement for both officers and citizens. Tom challenged listeners not to forget the humanity of those who serve.
“Pray for us. That’s not just something nice to say. We need it. Pray for our families. Pray that we can do the job with honor and go home at the end of the day,” he urged.
For Tom, and countless officers like him, law enforcement is not just a career but a mission rooted in conviction and sustained by faith. As Kyle put it, “It’s about showing how God’s hand is still present, even in the toughest corners of our society.”
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