TULSA, Okla. — A prominent Tulsa minister will now serve as Head Chaplain for the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office.
Smiley Elmore, Junior, believes his role in guiding and advising others is a gift.
WATCH: Prominent Tulsa minister promoted to TCSO head chaplain:
“It has to be a calling, it has to be a mission,” he said. “I had to be called by God, and when you do that, you don’t work a day in your life.”
A Native Tulsan, Elmore has been a minister and fitness coach for 37 years. For the last six years, he worked as the Assistant Chaplain for TCSO.
He uses his fitness experience to be a positive role model.
“I have one drug I use, it’s called HG, Holy Ghost,” he joked. “That’s a pretty good steroid right there.”
On June 22, the Tulsa County Sheriff's Office held a swearing-in ceremony for Elmore in front of family and friends.
Tulsa County Sheriff Vic Regalado says Elmore is the perfect man for the job.
“If you’ve known him for five minutes, you feel like you’ve known him for 20 years, he is that kind of guy,” he said.
Between motivating inmates and providing grief counseling for deputies and other staff, Regalado says his team of chaplains, which includes dozens of volunteers, plays one of the most important roles in the office.
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