Interfaith Community Meeting: Fo Guang Shan Buddhist Temple, North Carolina Joins Police-Community Collaboration

[Reported by Yuchuan, North Carolina, USA] On February 13, 2025, the Raleigh Police Department (RPD) hosted its monthly interfaith community meeting, the Interfaith Community Ambassadors for Responsive Engagement (I-CARE), at Fo Guang Shan Buddhist Temple, North Carolina. Seventeen attendees participated in the event, where the temple thoughtfully prepared a vegetarian lunch, inviting police officers and religious representatives to dine together and foster dialogue. Venerable Miao Jou, superintendent of the temple, led the recitation of Venerable Master Hsing Yun’s Prayer for the Police Officers and organized activities such as bell-striking, Chinese calligraphy, and rubbings of Venerable Master Hsing Yun’s One-Stroke Calligraphy. A group photo was taken in the Jade Buddha Shrine to commemorate the occasion.

The I-CARE program is a volunteer initiative established by the Raleigh Police Department with a diverse group of leaders from the faith community who represent a wide range of interests and experiences and have demonstrated a desire to build community relationships and solve problems. Its mission is to create a collaborative partnership through shared strengths to grow relationships, build bridges, foster transparency, and create a mutually enhanced awareness about the function and role of the Raleigh Police Department and the importance of the diverse community it serves. The ultimate mission is bridging the Raleigh Police Department and the communities they serve by building mutual trust and respect for a stronger, safer tomorrow.

The meeting, chaired by I-CARE President Pastor Jeffrey Robinson, featured an introduction to Buddhism and Fo Guang Shan Buddhist Temple, North Carolina by Venerable Miao Jou at the beginning. She shared the story of the Buddha’s renunciation and explained the principles of Humanistic Buddhism, which aims to bring joy and peace into people’s everyday lives.

Venerable Miao Jou leads temple tours and interacts with religious representatives .

During the discussion, participants addressed a recent police shooting incident and explored the care and support mechanisms provided by I-CARE. Raleigh Police Department Chief Estella D. Patterson made a special appearance, announcing her upcoming retirement on March 1. She expressed gratitude for the community’s support of the I-CARE program and presented commemorative retirement coins—engraved with her name—to the religious representatives, marking her 30 years of dedicated service in law enforcement.

As the meeting concluded, Venerable Miao Jou once again led attendees in reciting Venerable Master Hsing Yun’s Prayer for the Police. Chief Patterson nodded in agreement throughout the reading, acknowledging the prayer’s uplifting message. Participants were then invited to engage in bell-striking, calligraphy, and rubbings of Venerable Master Hsing Yun’s One-Stroke Calligraphy, and gathering for a final group photo in the Jade Buddha Shrine.

Venerable Miao Jou, the superintendent of Fo Guang Shan Buddhist Temple, North Carolina, introduces Buddhism and the temple before the meeting, sharing the story of the Buddha’s renunciation and the philosophy of Humanistic Buddhism, which aims to bring happiness and peace into daily life.

During an open exchange, Jewish representative Ira Richman shared insights on how meditation can help stabilize emotions, suggesting that police officers practice meditation to improve their mental well-being. Venerable Miao Jou agreed, noting that meditation fosters clarity and resilience, helping individuals make precise decisions, which is particularly valuable for officers on duty. She further offered North Carolina Fo Guang Shan’s willingness to provide meditation courses to help officers cultivate mental and physical well-being.

Raleigh Police Chief Estella D. Patterson attends the meeting and announces her upcoming retirement on March 1. She expresses gratitude for the support of I-CARE and presents commemorative retirement coins—engraved with her name—to the religious representatives in recognition of her 30 years of service in law enforcement.

Raleigh Police Department Staff Director Dr. Amanda Rolle shared a heartfelt story about a fourth-grader’s prayer card she had seen on the wishing tree at the Jade Buddha Shrine, where the child had written a prayer for success in exams. She emphasized how prayers can have a profound positive impact and shared plans to convey blessings from different faith traditions to officers recovering from injuries, offering them comfort and community support. Currently, I-CARE is conducting a 30 Days of Prayer initiative to collect prayers from the public. Venerable Master Hsing Yun’s Prayer for the Police Officers will be included as part of this effort, spreading compassion and blessings to the wider community.

I-CARE religious representatives gather for a group photo in the Jade Buddha Shrine after the meeting.

Fo Guang Shan Buddhist Temple, North Carolina prepares a vegetarian lunch, inviting police officers and religious representatives to dine together and engage in meaningful conversations.

Representatives from various religious communities cast their votes for the Three Acts of Goodness Children's Creative Lantern Painting Contest.

Religious representatives participate in activities such as bell-striking, calligraphy, and rubbings of Venerable Master Hsing Yun’s One-Stroke Calligraphy, followed by a group photo in the Jade Buddha Shrine.