Rockingham- Active shooter incidents are becoming more prevalent in our country and around the world. On Sunday, five people were killed in Russia by a shooter who attacked a Christian Church.
The City of Rockingham sponsored the event “Preparation Sunday” on Sunday afternoon at First Baptist Church of Rockingham to give local church leaders some pointers on how to better prepare and protect their members from potential intruders.
The presentation was developed and delivered by Rockingham Police Chief Billy Kelly and Lt. Detective George Gillenwater. Kelly, a 26 year veteran and Gillenwater with 12 years experience both have tactical backgrounds and both teach rapid deployment. This class, according to Kelly, is designed to train officers on response to active shooters.
Do churches need a plan? Admittedly, Chief Kelly noted that, “Mass shootings account for less than 2% of the annual gun deaths”. However, Kelly then suggested that most churches have a plan for fires in their church. Kelly said, “How many people died in a church fire last year?” “How many people died in mass shootings last year? In November there were 26 in Texas alone” noted Kelly. “Don’t think that because Richmond County is a small place that things can’t happen here, the Texas shooting occurred in a town with a population of just 600,” Kelly remarked.
According to the information shared, primary targets of an active shooter are those which offer little impediment for attack. Primary motives for attacks include revenge, hatred, marital disputes, child custody disputes, congregation disputes and physical and mental illness.
What does the typical mass shooter look like? According to statistics offered by Chief Kelly, “95% of mass shooters were male, their average age was 17 and four out of five of the shooters have been white.”
Lt. Gillenwater discussed important steps a church can take for preparedness in order to defend itself from an attack as well as how to respond if an attack does occur. Gillenwater noted, “When the church is in service, the exits should be exits only”. He was advocating that doors leading in and out of the church be locked so that nobody can enter from outside while the people inside can open the doors to exit the church.
Another concern discussed was that of proper protection for children’s programs. A suggestion was given to invest in some simple walkie-talkie equipment that would allow for quick communication to and from the nursery and children’s church programs that are many times in remote parts of the facility.
Other ideas shared included monitoring the outer perimeter of the church with cameras and in some cases with an outside sentry. Additional points to consider include response time for police and rescue personnel depending on where your church is located. Different skill sets available from members in your church such as law enforcement, military, first responder, CPR and First Aid trained individuals.
Church representatives were told they should promote preparation awareness among the congregation through meetings, newsletters or emails, depending on what is right for your particular church. As for general awareness, Gillenwater said, “Encourage members of your church to report unusual situations”.
Churches were encouraged to develop a written policy, put someone in charge over the security program and make sure everyone is aware of the guidelines. Anyone participating in the security program should have the proper, thorough training and know the law.
During Question and Answer time one participant related back to his days in the military in Vietnam and noted “Shooting a deer is a lot different than shooting a human being”. His point was for those who have not had the proper training, they really don’t know how they will respond in an active shooter situation and they could even shoot innocent bystanders.
Chief Kelly committed to making up a brochure with the suggestions and steps that were recommended for church security following the meeting. Additionally, Kelly invited those who could not make the meeting to contact the Rockingham Police Department to receive additional details on security measures for their churches.
