Every once in a while, the Rev. Ron Libby, a retired military police officer, would turn to a prisoner and think, “There but for the grace of God go I.”

It may be a cliche, but at least a dozen Bangor-area police, probation and corrections officers understand the sentiment behind it.

They also believe that their faith in God and relationships with Jesus Christ are key elements in how they approach their jobs and the people they deal with every day.

“It gives me strength in something beyond myself,” Brian Eggerts, 36, a federal probation officer in Bangor, said of his faith. “It gives me hope that there’s more to life than what we see on the street. It helps me to see the people we work with every day through the eyes of Jesus.”

That’s why once a month, Eggerts and his colleagues get together at the Police Athletic League building in Bangor for a prayer meeting and Bible study. The group is part of the Maine Criminal Justice for Christ chapter of the national organization Fellowship of Christian Peace Officers.

The organization is relatively new to Penobscot County but not to Maine. A group in the Lewiston-Auburn area has been meeting for a decade. The Bangor group began gathering on the third Saturday of each month about a year ago.

This year, it wants to expand its reach and has invited firefighters, paramedics and other first responders to join.

The national organization, which has about 4,000 members, according to its Web site, was founded 35 years ago in Los Angeles. Its purpose:

. To provide support and accountability to Christian officers in various agencies.

. To become more effective witnesses for Christ.

. To learn how to teach and train others to carry out the Christ’s “Great Commission” to carry the Gospel to all the world.

Libby, 52, of Orrington is secretary of the Maine chapter. A former security officer with the U.S. Air Force, he serves as the pastor of Oceanville Baptist Church in Stonington.

He is one of several ministers who regularly attend the Saturday morning meetings to help explain the theology and history behind specific biblical passages and to provide pastoral counseling to members who seek it.

“We have to rely on God’s strength rather than our own strength to face each day,” Libby reminded the group during its December meeting as members delved into Paul’s letter to the Philippians.

The Rev. Roger Davis, 51, is the pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in Brewer and the chaplain for the Brewer Police Department. He finds his work with the group and individual officers rewarding.

“I see my role as offering them an opportunity to talk about how God fits into certain situations they might be in and to help them understand from a biblical point of view what God might want to be doing through their particular circumstances,” he said.

Members of the group regularly worship at churches in the Bangor area. But what they share at the monthly gatherings with their colleagues is different and sometimes deeper, according to a Bangor police officer.

“We look forward to the fellowship of being with like-minded people – it helps to keep us grounded,” Sgt. Ed Potter said. “Here, I don’t have to explain myself all the time.”

The worldview that goes along with being a Christian helps Wade Maddox, 42, find purpose in his life and his work, the federal probation officer said.

“It’s not self-based, it’s Christ-based,” said Maddox, who attends the Church of the Open Door in Hampden. “You live for something bigger than yourself.”

His co-worker agreed.

“It also helps to keep me from getting cold and callous,” said Eggerts, a member of Calvary Chapel in Orrington. “Whether it’s someone we deal with after they are released [from federal prison] or if we help put them in jail, they will have been treated fairly and with dignity.”

For information on the Fellowship of Christian Peace Officers, call Libby at 825-3283 or visit www.fcpo.org.

The Vision

The vision of the Fellowship of Christian Peace Officers is to significantly influence the U.S. criminal justice system through:

. A strategy for reaching those them with the Gospel.

. Training in basic ministry skills: prayer, evangelism, discipleship, teaching and leadership.

. Tools to conduct an effective personal and chapter ministry.

. Support, reinforcement and encouragement from both the national office and local chapters.

. Encouragement to share the Gospel with those we car for most: our families, fellow officers and other close associates.