Scores of area pastors and church staff members filled the Texarkana, Texas, Police Department's training center Thursday to learn how to keep their congregations safe.
The two-hour meeting, hosted by the Police Department, was prompted by the recent shooting at a small church in Sutherland Springs, Texas. Its focus was to encourage the organization of a church security team and the proper response to an active shooter and other threats.
"Doing nothing is no longer an option for these violent events," Lt. Shawn Fitzgerald said. "We want to give you how best to protect your congregations. Today 75 percent of all churches don't have a security plan, and we would like to give you suggestions to help you provide a safe place toworship because criminals now want to cause intentional disaster in churches."
Officer Jeremy Sutton, who is also an ordained minister, spoke about proactive measures church leaders can take to try to minimize a shooting attack.
"Violent people are now coming to churches because they know that a lot of people go to church and can be soft targets for an attack," he said.
A church's multiple entry points make it easy for people with ill intent to enter the building and blend in with worshippers, said Sutton, who also recommended taking steps to secure a church's parking lot.
He also said a cross-trained church security team is the best first line of defense.
"Church security teams need to be a collection of church members who are either in law enforcement, or be former military service members. However, don't rely only on these members, because the responsibility for security needs to be spread among the congregation," Sutton said. "There also needs to be a willingness among the congregation to be trained and involved in security measures."
Sutton also said having several trained congregation members will ensure a full security detail at all times, something that is especially important when members are absent.
"Make sure you have enough of a security team at all times," Sutton advised.
Sutton then cited particular areas where security teams need to be trained, including implementing evacuation plans and locking down "battle station" areas, such as the nursery.
"If you don't train for something, you won't ever be able to magically rise to the occasion if something happens," he said.
Regarding child safety, Sutton said security team members must be stationed near children's Bible study classrooms, as well as have procedures for check-in and checkout.
a child classroom check in and check out procedures implemented.