Why Are Argentine Churches Reaching Out to Police Officers and Their Families?

Evangelical churches in Argentina have launched another initiative to support police officers and their families through prayer, recognition and spiritual accompaniment. The Christian Alliance of Evangelical Churches of the Argentine Republic (ACIERA) brought its “Iglesia Presente,” or “Church Present,” programme to Berisso in Buenos Aires Province on September 11, 2026. The gathering focused on the personal, family and spiritual needs of people working in security and law enforcement. The event was attended by local pastors, ACIERA President Christian Hooft, Berisso Mayor Fabián Cagliardi and Solange Marcos, undersecretary for Citizen Participation at the Buenos Aires Province Ministry of Security. Hooft said that police officers regularly face the difficulties associated with crime but also have families and emotional needs. He said the programme seeks to offer them support, respect and recognition. The initiative aims to bring churches closer to police officers through listening, prayer and ongoing spiritual accompaniment. ACIERA Executive Vice President Jorge Gómez also emphasized the importance of praying for officers and recognizing their service to the community. During the Berisso event, commemorative plaques were presented to the leaders of 10 police stations and units. These included four police stations, the Women's and Family Police Station, an investigations unit, the Patrol Command, the Neighborhood Proximity Force and two local substations. Pastors Gabriel Coria and David Patiño helped coordinate the presentation. Chief Superintendent Diego Espíndola, who serves as evangelical chaplain of the Buenos Aires Province Police, was also present. The “Iglesia Presente” programme has previously been conducted in other municipalities in Buenos Aires Province. In September 2024, a gathering took place at Cristo para Todos church in Adrogué, where police personnel received recognition and copies of the New Testament. The programme was also introduced in Benavídez in October 2024. According to the Municipality of Tigre, pastors were assigned to visit police stations and provide assistance, showing that the initiative is intended to continue beyond individual recognition ceremonies. The programme therefore seeks to establish an ongoing relationship between local churches and police stations. Rather than limiting its activities to formal events, participating churches aim to provide prayer and pastoral support to officers and their families. The Berisso gathering concluded with a prayer led by Pastor Arnaldo Chazarreta for police officers, their families and local residents. According to ACIERA, the initiative is intended to strengthen cooperation between religious communities and authorities while offering spiritual and personal support to people serving their communities.