Jessie Harrell has been named the new chaplain at the Daviess County Detention Center, stepping into the role following the retirement of longtime chaplain Emil Herzog, who served in the position for 21 years.
Harrell, originally from Tennessee, comes to Owensboro through his connection with Good News Global, a ministry organization that he previously interned with while living in Virginia.
“I got my undergrad in Tennessee and moved to Virginia to get my master of divinity, where I served as a hospice chaplain for a number of years,” Harrell said. “During that time, I did an internship with Good News Global and got introduced to prison ministry. It wasn’t something I had experience with, but after seeing the Lord working in prisons and jails, an opportunity opened up in Owensboro.”
Though he hadn’t heard of Owensboro before, Harrell said he visited the area and, after prayer and seeking wise counsel, felt called to accept the position.
“It’s a population of people that can be forgotten about,” Harrell said. “You have a lot of movies that portray jail one way, but in reality, it’s very different. Inmates have spiritual needs, and without a chaplain, I don’t know who would be able to fulfill those — whether it’s Bible studies or different religious materials.”
Each day in the facility brings something different, Harrell said, but most mornings start with checking inmate requests and reviewing mail or paperwork. He then visits the different wings of the jail, distributing materials, greeting individuals, or responding to one-on-one meeting requests.
“Sometimes I just walk around and get stopped in the hallways,” he said. “Other times, inmates ask to talk, and it gives me a chance to be there for them.”
Harrell emphasized that the chaplaincy is 100% donor funded and deeply rooted in community support.
“There’s a lot of recovery programs and community involvement here, and I’m thankful that Owensboro cares about the people in the jail,” he said. “My role isn’t just to serve the inmates, but also the staff as well.”
While he’s still learning the facility and observing existing programs, Harrell said he hopes to build on the strong foundation left by his predecessor.
“Chaplain Emil has been really faithful, and I’m just learning what’s been going on and what could be added,” he said. “The staff here has been a blessing. They’ve answered all my questions, welcomed me into classes to help me better understand the facility, and I’m very grateful to carry on the ministry Chaplain Emil started.”
Harrell encouraged community members to continue supporting the ministry and to remember the spiritual needs of those behind bars.
“I just hope people know there’s real hope and real change happening here,” he said.
