Chris Barnes

Chris Barnes is a Licensed Associate Counselor with almost three decades of experience in public safety. From an early age, Chris aspired to become a police officer. While earning his associate’s degree in criminal justice, Chris served as a volunteer for a first aid squad in his home township of Woodbridge, New Jersey,

where he first earned certification as an emergency medical technician. Not long after graduation, Chris was hired by the Township of Montclair as a police dispatcher. He would work in this position for four years, dispatching police, fire, and emergency medical services. It was during this time that Chris became an

auxiliary and then a special police officer in his hometown while continuing to volunteer in EMS. In July of 2000, Chris’ dream of becoming a police officer came true and he was sworn in as a Montclair Police officer. After graduation from the Essex County College Police Academy, Chris went on to serve Montclair for an additional twenty-three years. During this time, Chris worked in patrol, community policing, and the detective bureaus. Career highlights included being a field training officer, a CPR and first responder instructor both in his agency and at the police academy, and crisis intervention training (CIT). As a field training officer, Chris often found himself offering guidance to the new hires, and through his CIT training, Chris gained skills that helped him realize and sharpen his skills as an empathic listener. This brought Chris to the realization that he wanted to help his brother and sister first responders beyond his police career, and in 2019, he enrolled in Faulkner University, where he earned his bachelors degree in counseling psychology in 2020. He then earned his master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling in 2024. Chris retired from the Montclair Police Department in 2024 and looks forward to many years of helping all first responders cope with mental and emotional distress that can affect them on or off the job. Chris now calls Sussex County his home, where he lives with his wife and son. When he is not working, Chris enjoys getting outside for a hike, a run, or just a long walk. He also has a passion for music and working on project vehicles.