Phil Wiggins began his law enforcement career with the Durham Police Department in 1969 and joined the Durham County FOP Lodge 2 in 1971. Phil worked in the Uniform Patrol Division, Vice and Narcotics Division and the Detective Division. In 1974 Phil left the Durham Police Department and enrolled at Campbell College, which is now Campbell University, where he earned a degree in Religious Education. Then he enrolled at the Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and earned a Masters of Religious Education degree.



Phil returned to Durham in 1983, applied and was hired by the Durham Public Safety Department as a Public Safety Officer. Besides his police and fire duties, Phil was given duties as a volunteer chaplain. He worked on several street crimes units and was assigned as an investigator in the Organized Crime Division. Phil was promoted to Police Captain and after three years he retired in 2003 as the Commander of Uniform Patrol Support Services.

In 1986 Phil was elected to the Office of Chaplain of the Durham County FOP Lodge 2 and has served as Chaplain continuously since then, except from 1996-2000 when he was elected and served as the President of Lodge 2. In 1994 Phil was elected as the North Carolina Fraternal Order of Police State Chaplain and has continuously served in this position. In 2009 Phil was appointed by National FOP President Chuck Canterbury as FOP Grand Lodge Chaplain and he was reappointed in 2019 by newly elected National FOP President Patrick Yoes to continue to serve in this role.

Phil considers it an honor to attend and participate as Chaplain in annual local, state, and national Peace Officers Memorial Services and feels privileged to be able to minister to the men and women in law enforcement across the country. He was honored to serve as a volunteer with the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team and travel across the country to bring comfort and hope to families of officers killed in the line of duty and in cities experiencing civil unrest.

Phil received the National Fraternal Order of Police Jack Dudek Member of the Year Award for 2019. This most prestigious award was presented to Phil in recognition of his time-tested selfless service and dedication to the community, the law enforcement profession, our members, and the Fraternal Order of Police.