Project 10-19

In this article, I will introduce a new evangelistic endeavor. I’m calling it “Project 10-19.”

What Does “10-19” Mean?

“10-19” is a Ten-Code used by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (and other law enforcement agencies), which means “return to station.”

Why Project 10-19

As most of my reader’s know, I served for 20 years as a Los Angeles County Deputy Sheriff. Eight of those years were also spent serving my department brethren as one of their chaplains. During my time as a chaplain, I served as the on-scene chaplain for ten line-of-duty deaths, and countless other critical incidents involving department personnel. I was also regularly called to tragic scenes involving civilians in my community. As a chaplain, I was certified in Critical Incident Stress Debriefings (CISD) and several other chaplain-related disciplines.

From 1988 to 2008, I was, in one way or another, involved in ministry to law enforcement. A ministry I began in 2002, Ten-Four Ministries, still exists today under the leadership of Major Travis Yates, of the Tulsa (OK) Police Department.

Even though I retired in 2007, my affections still run very deep for my law enforcement family–no matter what color the uniform, the shape of the badge, or the jurisdiction. I’ve wept too many times over recent months as members of my law enforcement family have been mercilessly maligned (by Christians and non-Christians), attacked, ambushed, and murdered. The world’s societies have fallen so deeply into depravity and a desire for anarchy that there are people actually and seriously calling for the abolition of law enforcement.

The world has lost its already sin-soaked and delude mind (Romans 1:28-32). Yet there are thousands upon thousands of brave men and women in the law enforcement community who are committed to answering every call and, as we saw recently in Dallas, protecting and serving not only the people who support them, but also the people who hate them.

Project 10-19 is yet one more way I hope to show support for my law enforcement brethren, rally others to support the law enforcement community, encourage Christians to think biblically about governing authorities, and use this effort to bring the gospel to my law enforcement family.

Project 10-19: Strategy

The strategy of Project 10-19 is simple enough. I am going to try to spend a part of at least one day (maybe more) outside of every police, sheriff, and highway patrol station in Los Angeles County–at least 98 stations in all. I will stand outside the station holding the “Law Enforcement Lives Matter” sign. I will have with me an ample supply of Police Lives Matter gospel tracts that I will distribute to as many officers as the Lord allows me to meet.

I will not have a video camera or digital audio recorder with me. The last thing I want is for officers to think what I’m doing is some kind of stunt. I want to make it abundantly clear to anyone and everyone I meet that my mission is to represent Jesus Christ and to encourage and evangelize police officers (and anyone else I may meet along the way).

After I spend time outside of a station, I will record an “On the Road” video from my car to give testimony to what the Lord did outside the station.

Project 10-19: Get Involved

While very few if any of you will be able to join me outside of police stations (due to schedule, etc.), there are several ways you can participate in Project 10-19.

1. Make a sign (where I get my signs). Get some Police Lives Matter gospel tracts. Find the law enforcement stations in your area. And go stand outside those stations.

2. If you don’t feel led or moved to stand outside of police stations holding a sign (and that’s okay, by the way), would you please consider supporting my effort? I’m sure I will need more Police Lives Matter gospel tracts along the way. If you would like to donate gospel tracts to my effort, please email Marv Plementosh of One Million Tracts at [email protected], and let him know you would like to make a Police Lives Matter gospel tract donation to Tony’s Project 10-19 efforts.

3. HOLD THE ROPE. Pray for me as I set out to reach officers outside almost 100 police stations in Los Angeles County. Pray for me as I stand outside police stations. Follow me on Twitter. I will post my whereabouts and activity on Twitter while I’m outside each station.

Project 10-19: The First Station

I will spend time tomorrow (and likely many other days) outside of the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station. This is the station in my community (there is also a CHP station) and where I spent most of my law enforcement career.

“Return to Station”

“62T1….. 10-19.”

Whenever I heard that on the radio, I knew it meant that I was being asked to return to the station. My hope for every member of the law enforcement community is that they return to the station safely after each shift. My hope is that every member of the law enforcement community will return to their homes safely after each shift.

My hope and prayer for every member of the law enforcement community is that they will turn to Christ and live.