Manchester Police Chaplain in charity mission to Bolivia

The man of the cloth who ministers to Manchester Township police now packs to pull double-duty - in Bolivia.

Reverend James Davis, the Manchester PD chaplain who also is a certified dental assistant, joins a 10-member team that will give free dental treatments to some 500 needy patients in the South American country through March 29.

Rev. Davis and his group operate under the aegis of Christian Dental Missions/Medical Missions. It is the Whiting resident's 15th dental mission, and 17th sojourn overall. He will also offer faith counseling.

The onetime Pastor of Whiting United Methodist Church also serves as chaplain for Stafford Township's police department and the Ocean County Sheriff's Office. He's served Manchester PD since November 2011.

"I'm here to support the members of the department, their families, and assist in the community when called upon," Rev. Davis said. Rev. He assists officers delivering death notifications, counsels families in stress and steps in during crisis situations.

Manchester PD Chief Lisa Parker calls Rev. Davis an unsung hero. "His responsibilities often involve sensitive and difficult tasks, and he handles everything with the utmost care and compassion. We're proud of the work he does here in Manchester Township and internationally," she said.

The reverend, who earned his Master of Divinity degree in 1978, is among clergy members who responded to the World Trade Center during the 9/11 attacks, and to Honduras in the brutal aftermath of Hurricane Mitch in 1998.