To Prevent Mass Shootings In Church, Police Hold Safety Seminar

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automatic weapon gun pointedDeLand, FL - In response to shootings in churches across the nation, police will hold a safety seminar in DeLand.

On Thursday, March 17 the DeLand Police Department will hold a seminar on how to prepare community leaders for safety threats. The event will be held at the First Baptist Church of DeLand at 725 N. Woodland Blvd.

Officials say there has been growing interest in security procedures after shootings like the one last year in Charleston, South Carolina where nine people were tragically shot and killed at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church. In an interview with WNDB, Deputy Chief Randy Henderson of the DeLand Police Department said "Anywhere where people are starting to congregate, they see what's happening around the country and they ask themselves 'what if it happened here?'"

In 1999, there were 10 acts of violence involving religious organizations, with 22 people killed. That number more than tripled in 2015 when 76 people were killed in 248 separate incidents. That's according to church security author Carl Chinn.

Thursdays seminar will be divided into 3 sessions.

Session 1 is geared towards leadership and using a security manual or program. Session 2 focuses on the roles of greeters and ushers, who Henderson says are "the eyes and ears." And session 3 will serve to provide a brief history of active shooters.

According to Henderson, written material from the seminar will be available on the DeLand Police Department website along with additional resources.

 

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