Q:  What department do you work for?

I’m a volunteer Chaplain for the Novato Police department and have been for five years.

Q:  Is it always a volunteer position?

No. Larger cities tend to employ their Chaplains, but smaller departments it’s typically volunteer.

Q:  You’re also a hand-writing analyst, correct?

Yes, I’m self-employed as an analyst and do psychological assessments through handwriting.

Q:  Do you make a good living at analyzing handwriting?

Honestly, not a great living.  I’m also a retired clinical therapist and I also wrote stories back in the 1980’s that were turned into computer gaming software.  I’m concentrating now on writing mystery novels.

Q:  Chaplain and handwriting expert makes for an interesting combination.  Which were you first?  What other occupations have you had?

Hand-writing analysis first.  I took a course back in the 1970‘s at UCLA, pretty much all that was available until recently.  After that, I moved into computers and was one of the first women to do at-home computer technical support in the early 90‘s.

I was also a volunteer in the police department for a while, worked as Head of Security for Mattel toys, so I had law enforcement background.  My local department was looking for extra chaplain and since I was a non-denominational minister, I thought I‘d give it a try.

Q:  As a Chaplain, what are your duties?

Let me give an example of a call.  Suppose a person has come home and found a spouse or loved one has passed away.  They will typically call 911, who will dispatch officers and investigators as needed.   The spouse is distraught and the call is then made for a chaplain. 

We put on our uniform and go to the scene.  We’re there to be a source of comfort to those who have lost someone, to help them through the transition, the initial grief.  At times we’re asked to keep family aside so the police can take the body away.  We often do prayers over the bodies, either before or after they’re placed in body bags.  Whatever the family left behind would like done for their loved one.

What we do typically depends on the situation.  I sit with the family, talk to them, sometimes I’m the one who needs to inform them there has to be an autopsy.  I suppose you could consider Chaplains as buffers between the family and the police, especially when it comes to the inevitable question of why this has happened.

We have to help them to make very big decisions at a very difficult time and we try to make the process as easy as possible for all involved.  It’s especially hard during the holidays.  My job is to hold the hand of the person grieving, the person in pain and, at times, allowing them to be angry and giving them a focus for that anger.

Q:  What other duties do you perform?

We do death notification (hopefully to the correct person).  It’s my least favorite part of the job, by the way.  The second they see you in the minister’s collar, they know why you’re there.

We’re also called in to support other officers.  We’ll sit in the dispatchers’ office during difficult calls, stay with hostage negotiators and those who try to prevent someone from taking their own lives.  Support is our number one function.  Sometimes just knowing someone’s there is enough.

Q:  What hours do you work?  How many Chaplains work with you? 

We have 5 Chaplains in the department.  We each work one week a month and are on call for that week 24/7.  Sometimes I’m called to work at 2 in the afternoon, other times, 2 in the morning.  I wear a pager at all times during that week.

Q:  How long do the calls last?

Typically about 2 hours. Sometimes longer, but two to three hours is the norm.
Most of the time we’re there to wait until someone else can come; either a family member or a member of their own church, such as a priest or minister.

Q:  Do you work with police officers as well?

Absolutely.  We aren’t only there for the victims, but for the police officers and their families.    A lot of times just being there for them to talk to makes a difference.  Mostly the officers will drop hints and its our jobs to follow the breadcrumbs and understand what they need.  We aren’t only called for death, but

also for disasters or to help with difficult situations, such as the loss of a house to a fire.

As an aside, anything an officer tells me during those times is completely confidential, much like someone in confession.  A Chaplain cannot be called to testify as to what an officer might have spoken about.

Q:  Is it the same for when you’re speaking with families?

Not quite.  While we are called in to help the families, we are also representatives of the police department.  There are times we get the feeling something isn’t right, that the behavior just seems off or something is said that the officers need to be made aware of.  It’s a fine line, one we tread very carefully.  I will make clear, however, that we don’t play detective.  We’re not there to pry, simply to support.

Q:  It must be difficult, dealing with all that grief.

Grief is a completely unique emotion and an unpredictable one; you never know what you’re going to have to deal with.  People can go from devastated to furious in the blink of an eye and at times the situation can get dangerous.  At those times, I make sure the officer at the scene knows that when he or she leaves, I’m going with him.

Q:  What’s the most difficult part of your job?

Death notifications.  It’s always a challenge when you walk in the door (especially if you walk in the wrong door, which I have to admit, has happened to me).   I make sure to ask the officer in charge is and speak with that officer first thing upon arriving.  I don’t like to walk in unprepared.  I also detest the phrase “I’m so sorry for your loss”.  There has to be a better way to convey that message.  I have to be sure not to take any anger aimed at me personally;  I’m an easy target that’s walked into the room.  It’s part of the job.

You also have to have a strong stomach.  We’re told not to traumatize ourselves more than we have to.  I don’t go looking for the body unless I can’t avoid it; especially with suicides.  Those are usually the worst.  I had to make peace with myself as far as having to answer “why?”  My usual response is “even if I knew the answer, it doesn’t solve anything.  They why’s will come later.”

Q:  Chaplains tend to be non-denominational and well-versed in most if not all denominations. How difficult is that to balance if at all?

We are educated as far as different religions and we’ll go as far as whoever we’re helping wants us to.  It’s completely their call.  It isn’t about conversation, it’s about sensing what the other person needs. If they’re more comfortable hearing certain terms, we can provide that.  If they’re merely looking for someone to listen, to guide them, then we’ll do that as well.  We let their religion guide us.

There are some people who really want me to bring out every religious weapon in my arsenal;  mostly I deal with “spiritual” people who know something needs to be done but aren’t sure what.  In these cases, the prayers tend to stay generic.

Q:  Are the Chaplains you work with non-denominational?

2 of us are; our Chaplaincy is our ministry.  The other three, the church is their full-time job.   And again, we’re all volunteers.

Q:  Are there a lot of female Chaplains in law enforcement?

Back in 1996 when I was first approached to be a Chaplain in my community, about 90% of them were men.  Today, we have 3 women and two men.

Q:  Now to your other profession.  What is hand-writing analysis exactly?

Fundamentally, handwriting analysis freezes a portion of time in their handwriting  It’s like taking a mental photograph of someone; what they’re thinking or going through at the time they’ve written the sample tells you a lot about a person.  I also do a lot of historical handwriting, deciphering ancestors’ personalities from old family notes and cards.  It gives families a chance to get to know the people who have already died.

Q:  What’s your educational background?  Do you need to be certified? What are the benefits to analysis of handwriting?

There is no certification for the type of work I do.  There isn’t an official “educational” background required.  Aside from my class in the mid 70’s, I’ve had training as a therapist, which goes hand in hand with the analysis.  Europe is much more open to the possibilities of handwriting analysis, but here in the United States, it’s still considered a pseudo-science.

I’ve used what I’ve learned while I was working, especially in the hiring process. Now, it’s more prevalent, especially with the Internet and educational opportunities.  It’s a very handy tool when hiring people and large companies are putting the practice to use.

If I had my way, every parent would have a basic course in it to help them see what might be going on with their children.  Emotional trauma is pretty easy to identify and these days, it’s important for parents to know what’s going on with their children.

You can also use handwriting exercises to help with writer’s block.  The letters l and h and capital letters become compressed when you’re losing your creativity.  When that happens, just pull out a pad of paper and start making writing Ls and Hs.  It’s like a key in  a lock.  Writing long-hand sometimes, while I’m not negating the importance of a laptop by any means, can really get the creativity flowing.

Q:.  How would you go about analyzing someone’s handwriting? 

It’s fairly simple.  I’m sent a sample, 1-2 pages handwritten in ballpoint pen.  I analyze it and give them back a personality profile.  Handwriting exercises can help change behavior and attitudes so by using therapy techniques combined with these exercises, I can help someone overcome something and improve their life.  I don‘t just hand them the profile and say here you go.  There has to be some follow-through and benefit to having been analyzed.

And for historical purposes, I examine old letters, notes to help families understand the generations before they might not have ever known.

Q:  How much do you charge for an analysis?

$60 an hour.  It typically takes an hour unless I’m doing a lot of family samples; the price will shift depending on the job.

Q:  Is handwriting analysis admissible in court?

From the psychological POV, what I do?  No, it’s not admissible.   Document examining is the field that can be admissible.  The two do cross in police work--I’ve been asked to give a psychological profile to an investigator to help guide, but nothing that would be put in a report or used and an actual investigative tool in I a case.  It’s kind of like using a psychic.  It can give the police a starting point, not a solution to the crime.

Q:  So it’s used more as an investigative tool?
Yes, absolutely.

Q:  How long has hand-writing analysis been around?
Believe it or not, since the 1600’s.  The first person to write a book on it was a Catholic priest. 

Q:  Are computers used or is this done by the human eye?

For the forensic part, yes, computers are used, but not for what I do.  I tend not to buy into the use of technology so much because when I look at it as a human being, I can bring my experience into it, what I‘ve seen before.  You can never see too many samples; everything you see teaches you something.  Even in junk mail that‘s been hand-addressed.  Just another sample to me.  Those make me very happy.

 Q:  Do you also analyze inks, papers, and impressions as part of your job or is
that done by a lab?

A lab deals with the forensics of the sample, the inks and papers fall into that category.  They mostly examine forgeries and the how something was written.  I look at the impressions, the style; the psychology or the why it was written.

Q:   As your last question, what’s the best part of your jobs?

As a Chaplain the best part is knowing I’ve helped people through a very difficult time.  I get a tremendous sense of satisfaction for a few hours of work.  There’s no greater high as far as I’m concerned.

The best part about my work analyzing handwriting is when you see someone who comes in with a problem and I can help them find a way to solve it and make their lives better.  That’s a tremendous thrill.

If you’re interested in having your own hand-writing analyzed by Susan, visit the auction…we have a session up for bid!

The Last Stand Series:

TRUST ME, May 27, 2008
First Chapter

STOP ME, June 24, 2008
First Chapter

WATCH ME, July 29,2008
First Chapter

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Bid on a handwriting analysis by Susan Hayes right now!