Sheriff's office presents seminar on church security
By Brandon Davis
Published in News on June 28, 2016 1:46 PM
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News-Argus/CASEY MOZINGO
Wayne County Sheriff's Deputy and crime prevention specialist Robin Stine shows a PowerPoint presentation on house of worship safety and security at First Free Will Baptist Church.
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News-Argus/CASEY MOZINGO
Wayne County Sheriff Larry Pierce speaks during the house of worship safety and security training session.
Nearly 300 people from churches across Wayne County were at First Free Will Baptist on East Ash Street Monday evening for a house of worship safety and security training session presented by the Wayne County Sheriff's Office.
Deputy Robin Stine shocked the crowd at the start when she pointed out that there have been 100 deadly incidents and 550 deaths at churches in the United States since 1999.
"It is a sin and a shame that we have to be here for that purpose," Ms. Stine said. "But that is unfortunately what our society has come to. And instead of us being reactive, we're trying to be proactive and try to get this information out there to better prepare us in the event one of these incidents happen."
She also reflected on the Charleston, S.C., shooting last year, in which nine people were killed. The tragedy was the impetus for the seminar. She advised those attending to not become complacent while they are attending worship services.
Ms. Stine presented a PowerPoint presentation on church safety, which focused on assessing a church's security needs, planning a security committee and staying alert at all times.
She said developing an emergency response team could prove beneficial in maximizing church security by grouping a team of greeters and ushers or developing an emergency response team of policemen, doctors and nurses.
Ms. Stine said the church should appoint a security team leader to manage the security plan before a worship service and during each congregational meeting.
She talked about locks, alarms and cameras, and she spoke briefly about carrying concealed firearms, but told church leaders to contact their insurance companies before allowing guns in the church.
Sheriff Larry Pierce also presented the audience with an example of the practical implementation of an emergency response team and amped up security in a worship center by citing The Bridge church.
As a member of The Bridge, Pierce created a 30-member emergency response team at the worship center in Princeton five years ago.
He said there have been emergencies at The Bridge from "a scraped knee" to "an attempted kidnapping" but said the response team has helped prevent any violence.
The Bridge pastor, Jeremy White, who was not at the seminar but has helped local churches begin security programs, said precaution is key to a successful emergency program. The emergency response team at his worship center has proven to be an added layer of protection for his 300-member church, he said. Each emergency response team member goes through a background check every two years. White says the people of The Bridge count on the team for protection, and White takes the response team very seriously.
"You can't be too precautious these days," White said. "So, we have them in place to make sure everyone feels safe and secure."