OneCop One Congregation

The OneCop one-precinct initiative is the signature program of The Movement Forward program. OneCop recognizes that faith-based institutions are places of hope, mass gatherings, collective action and host millions of people weekly in communities of every kind. They are, therefore largely untapped resources for strengthening police-community relations. 

Today's political and social climates have been muddled by bleak relations between far to many Americans. With this partnership, we will collectively begin building strong foundations that bridge communication gaps and help alleviate mutual biases while also assisting law enforcement efforts to fight crime and improve public safety overall. 

MovementForward's ultimate goal is to enable healing, reconciliation, economic equity, educational parity, political and cultural development, and  one standard of justice that transcends the particularities of race, class, gender and other such demographics. 

Thank you for your commitment to being an active part in solutions to the specific problems that face your local community and our nation

as a whole. 

In Service

The OneCop Team


A partnership with Officer Kelly

Just over a year ago congregations in Portland just like ours were notified of a new program that partnered churches and Police officers.  We were asked to attend an 'active shooter' seminar with hundreds of faith leaders from every faith community in the Portland Metro area.  The initial gathering  held at  the Jewish Synagogue  Neveh Shalom was very successful in attracting the faith communities and leaders.  The law enforcement agencies represented had not anticipated such an overwhelming amount of concern these people have for their congregation and communities.  The Portland Police, Country Police, State Police, Sheriffs departments and FBI presented the MovementForward OneCop initiative in such a manner as to get our attention and to get us motivated to get involved.  Each congregational representative was given a OneCop Implementation Guide with a CD to take back to their congregations to discuss and learn how do we go forward in our partnership. 

Officier Mark Kelly has volunteered and  been assigned to Peace Lutheran and Blessed Temple churches. Robyn Doll, Pastor Berry Scruggs and Pastor Vernon Norris of BTCC  will be the persons working directly with Officer Kelly. 

Working with Officer Kelly

Officier Mark Kelly jumped on board right from the beginning.  Unknown to Robyn  Officier Kelly was present  at the initial gathering at the Neveh Shalom  he was  ready to meet that day and get a feel for our needs. Having our  officer  that eager sent a great message to me. 'He was serious about this program and wanted us to know it'. Since that day we have become better acquainted and more comfortable. Part of Robyn's responsibilities are to help build a working relationship with Mark and the congregation and our Pastors. He attended one of our Wednesday dinners and was introduced to a few members of our congregation and Pastor Berry. He explained a little bit about the OneCop program and what we can expect from him.  We are looking forward to a wonderful relationship with him and the program directors. 

Pastor Berry's ride along

After a five hour ride-along I now have a better understanding of police work


The faith leader and Pastor of Peace Lutheran church of Portland Oregon is Pastor Berry Scruggs. He recently met with officer Mark Kelly of the Portland Police Bureau through the OneCop initiative. As in initial activity, suggested by the OneCop guidelines. Pastor Scruggs went on a Ride Along with Officer Kelly, Here is what the Pastor had to say about the ride along.

"Having been a firefighter, I was familiar with what law enforcement officers did on various calls,  However, after spending five hours on a ride-along the other day, here are a few things I now have a better understanding of police work:

1. How aware the public is of an officers presence around them. 

2. How much an officer has to be aware of all that is around them, and how keen their skills of observation must be. 

3. Another reminder of just how "on edge" first responders can be as we responded to calls.

4. While listening in on roll call, just how much an officer has to remember while on patrol. 

5. What in impressive sense of meaning being in law enforcement can add to an officers life. 

6. How dedicated the Portland Police officers are to protecting and serving the public. 

7. How grateful police are for the public who supports them. 

8. How appreciative I was for the opportunity to be with these and learn these things. 

(to learn more about Pastor Berry's ride-along go to www.OneCop-Movementforward  and check out their blog) 

Officer Mark Kelly, Peace and BTCC

invitations extended and accepted

  • Pastor Vernon Norris and Officer Mark Kelly

    Pastor Norris is ready for his 'ride along' with Officer Kelly.  

    OneCop urges the faith leaders to go on ride alongs with the officer of their congregation.  It gives the leaders a first hand glance at what our Police face each day and it helps us understand how working together can change the way a community looks at law enforcement. We can make a positive impact.. 

  • Good Work

    Recently David Cho and his supervisior Jason  meet with Pastor Berry, Pastor Norris, and Robyn to give them the good news that we have been chosen to appear on the MovementForward blog.  They show cased Pastor Berry's recent ride along with Officer Kelly and what Pastor Berry had to say about the experience. 

    David and Jason are from the Atlanta area where MovementForward is headquartered. With Portland being one of the initial cities to roll out  the  OneCop program they wanted to see just how it is working.  After reaching out to precincts, officers and faith leaders, they discovered they had not done enough to promote and explain the program to the Police officers and their next in command, their sergeants. While in Portland David and Jason have meet with numerous law enforcement personnel promoting and explaining the benefits of faith communities and officers working together. Officer Kelly tells me he often talks to his fellow officers about the program and the benefits we will achieve from a program such as OneCop.  He is a kind, generous person, that believes in what he does and in us at Peace and Blessed Temple. 






  • Wednesday dinner

    Officer Kelly accepted an invitation to our Wednesday night dinner one hot August evening in 2019.  After a lite dinner Mark sat down with us and was introduced to some of our congregation.  He explained some of the reasons for making this partnership between faith communities and law enforcement and why it would be beneficial to both. The people at Peace that have meet Mark and talked with him found him to be a committed, generous, person who is easy to have in our mist. 

    We look forward to working with him and inviting him to many of our events. 

  • Lutheran Choral Concert

    We where blessed to have Officer Mark Kelly attend last falls Lutheran Choral Concert.  This was a wonderful opportunity for Pastor Berry to introduce him to the congregation at Peace and the wider audience of the community. After Pastor introduced him and Officer Kelly said a few words, we offered up a prayer for him and all law enforcement and first responders.  

    Thank-you Officer Kelly for attending.