Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office helps churches prepare for emergencies
LOWNDES COUNTY, Mississippi (WCBI) – Anxiety over the possibility of terror attacks is on the rise due to the conflict between Israel and Iran, but there are also new concerns about threats closer to home.
Over the weekend, a church in Michigan was the target of an alleged gunman.
Church staff members responded swiftly.
Events like this have forced churches to adopt security systems over the years.
Student Pastor Brandon Allen wears many hats at Mt. Vernon Church in Lowndes County.
One of them is security.
“It’s our job to love everyone, but we also understand that sometimes there are people who have bad intentions. And so, we want to make sure especially, when people come on campus, that they feel safe and that their kids are safe and that their teenagers are safe,” said Allen.
Mt. Vernon has members who are law enforcement officers, and some of them help out with the security team.
“A lot of security is ran by just volunteers who have gone through different trainings and (have had) background checks and they just have a heart for serving and keeping everybody safe,” said Allen.
The church hasn’t received any threats, but Allen said they just want to stay ready.
The Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office helps churches prepare for potential emergencies.
“When we have incident that happens like what happened yesterday in Wayne, Michigan, it raises people awareness of how quickly something can go wrong. And being prepared in how to react and how to handle a situation like that, is what we’re trying to help people understand,” said Lowndes County Sheriff Eddie Hawkins.
The Sheriff’s Office offers security assessments to churches and local businesses to help them develop a plan in case of an active shooter.
“When we go to these churches, we look at all types of things, like windows and doors, making sure the locks are properly installed, making sure there’s plenty of lighting outside,” said Hawkins.
Sheriff Hawkins said he usually gets more phone calls about the assessments when tragic events take place.
He encourages the community to speak up and notify security or law enforcement if they see anything suspicious.
The Sheriff said a church has already reached out to him since the attack at the Michigan church.
You can contact the Sheriff’s Office for more information about getting a security assessment.
