Sheriff: Churches need to be ready
A safety and security summit draws 200 from the religious community to learn how to stay safe.
‘When the wolf is at your door, you’ve got to know what to do.’ Sheriff Tim Burkhalter
Churches across the community need to have a security plan in place and Floyd County Sheriff Tim Burkhalter explained to pastors and lay leaders Saturday that they need to practice a response to an emergency situation frequently.
“When the wolf is at your door, you’ve got to know what to do,” Burkhalter told participants at his Church Safety and Security Summit.
The sheriff said there is no one security concept that is right for every church and said a security team was something each church should have. He also explained that the entire congregation does not necessarily need to know the identity of everyone that serves on the security team, saying it is not at all unusual for the person who is going to cause a problem to have been either a member or frequent visitor to the church.
“You want a leader with command author- ity, somebody who can make people move in a time of chaos,” Burkhalter said.
Burkhalter said emergencies come in a variety of different situations that can be related to domestic violence, natural disasters or medical emergencies
“Look for weaknesses at points of access to the church,” the sheriff told the crowd of close to 200. He said the first line of defense actually needs to be out in the parking lot.
“Someone who knows the people who come to church,” Burkhalter said.
He also suggested that churches harden the doors in and out of church, make them stronger and more difficult to get through when locked down.
The sheriff said video cameras may act as a deterrent in some cases but someone who is going to shoot up a church just probably would not be deterred, “because he knows he’s probably going to die, too.”
The pastor and security team should also establish solid lines of communication with local law enforcement personnel because if there is a problem, the responding officers need to be able to know the good guys from the bad guy.
“You’ve got be pro-active,” Burkhalter said.
When it comes to communication, the sheriff also said that the pastor needs to have some discreet way to let the congregation know there’s a problem if someone comes into the church in a threatening manner. It could be something as simple as moving a cup of water from one side of the pulpit to the other. He also said the body of the church needs to be able to communicate quickly with whatever area children are located in to proceed with an immediate lockdown.
Burkhalter also acknowledged that when a security plan is developed, the issue of parishioners carrying weapons ought to be addressed. Sergeant Carrie Edge told the crowd no one should carry a gun unless they were properly trained in active shooter scenarios and are prepared to use it. The sheriff said his staff would be available to assist those who do have gun carry permits to be trained on how to react properly in the event they were ever to need to use them. Again, he stressed that practice is critical so that someone would feel more comfortable in a chaotic situation.
Edge told the crowd that while the church is there to serve the broken, that it cannot put its heart before its head when it comes to dealing with security issues. She said doors should have a sound attached to them anytime they are opened.
“Sometimes a little extra security can be inconvenient,” Sheriff Burkhalter said.
“We want you to have a plan for something we hope never happens,” Burkhalter concluded. He told the church leaders that his staff, including members of the Rome-Floyd SWAT team, would be available to review individual security plans and help tailor them to the specific needs at each church.