Anyone heard about this? Fake News?

Church Police Force

Real news unfortunately . Bad idea imo

I think it also applies to their school, too. This has been in the works for months, but had to be approved. May be coincidence, but I think this started after the school made news after a drug bust. Their opinion is to have their own force, similar to public schools having officers assigned to them. Public perception is they're trying to keep their dirty laundry from being aired at the school.

Their gonna stake out the liquor stores and report all the parishioners to the Grand Pubah.

No difference than colleges/universites having their on police. My understanding is the officers will be APOST certified.

I can see the need for Churchs and schools needing security. They are gun free zones, so they are targets.

May not be popular but it's nothing more than a private police force.

They will be APOSTC certified officers and colleges and hospitals have done it before. What they will learn is that many of the entities that did it before found out that it is very expensive to keep officers certified every year.

I thought I read that they were only going to have a small number of officers as their employees, maybe a "chief" and assistant chief" and still hire off duty officers as needed from the local agencies for the bigger events.

That's what I understand. They had a drug bust by Shelby county at the high school and right after that, the private police force came up.

Briarwood is my church. Talk of an official police force was going on well before the drug bust at Briarwood Christian High School. We've had an unofficial security team of plain clothes officers and several federal LEOs for a long time. Plus individual church members are part of the team as concealed carry.

Briarwood is a very large church with multiple buildings and a school. There are events, classes and bible studies going on 7 days a week. There have been incidents in the past in the parking lots and buildings. Plus the school issues.

A private police force is a way to offer security and extra safety for the members, students and visitors.

But why police and not just a highly trained security force?

That is a terrible idea.
Separation of church and state comes to mind.

I don't see anything wrong with it as long as they are willing to take on the numerous greater responsibilities that a LEO agency has over a security force. Their liability is going up (greater belief of perfection), the cost is going up and expectations are going up. Like I said, nothing wrong with it if they are willing to go all the way with it, but it isn't going to fix whatever they were trying to fix.

There is nowhere in the constitution that dictates a separation of church and state. Only that the state won't create a gov-run church.

Besides, wouldn't a church running its own affairs actually keep it more separate?

huh? Come again?

Guys, right now we have one part time police officer who serves the church, the seminary, the schools and other building on two campuses. He has a job as a LEO with a local jurisdiction. We then hire off duty officers as needed.

The goal is to make the part time guy full time with car and hire some part time guys too...all certified LEO.

Similar to private colleges have their own police force...that's all this is.

Ya I don't see the big deal. Church of the highlands has several police officers at every campus and service.

This is why I go fishing...

Sadly, the school/church is going to get bad publicity over this because they will be accused of trying to cover up their drug troubles at their high school. I won't say what position they hold, but I know two individuals who are very high in the law enforcement and judicial system, in Shelby County. Both have told me there isn't a public school in Shelby County that can hold a candle to Briarwood when it comes to drug problems. Both have told me you just don't hear about it because the school keeps it covered up. Both have also told me when they (these two individuals) are notified, and called in, that the parents defend their child's actions to the end, regardless of evidence. With the "police force" being employed by the school, the possibility is there for the school to pressure the officers to do things their way. Let me go on the record here by saying though these two sources are extremely reliable in my opinion, I can not confirm, nor discredit, their claims.

How much bad stuff happens at The Summit and Galleria or Hoover HS or Gardendale HS or in any community that we, the general public. never hear about. A lot of bad stuff is never made public knowledge and that is a fact. If something is bad enough it will come out no matter how hard it is tried to be covered up.

I don't think this church wants to stop prosecution or cover up anything. Maybe they do want to keep stuff quiet, same as Trussville, Warrior, Oneonta, etc etc. I don't see a problem and maybe the officers will have a positive impact.