Posted on Mar 20, 2017
Alabama may allow church to form own police force
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And we worry about Sharia law.
What about the "God Squad" police force.
Next punishing parishioners if they a light in offering plate.
What about the "God Squad" police force.
Next punishing parishioners if they a light in offering plate.
Alabama may allow church to form own police force
Posted from nbcnews.comPosted in these groups: 
Church
Gun Control
Church Gun Control
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 5
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Unconstitutional. This will never see the light of day, or if it does, it will be brief before it's struck down. This is probably the dumbest idea I've seen today. (Not you, MSgt. That church).
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Reading the responses here has been funnier than watching the Monty Python sketch about the Spanish Inquisition. Some of you read, “guns, church, & police” and your hair immediately burst into flames, and you started running in circles screaming “green side, brown side”. Read the article.
The church is seeking to form a police force to “to counter any potential threats because it is also home to a K-12 school and a theological seminary with 2,000 students and teachers”. That means it is not just a church, it is also a private school system, hosting students in kindergarten through college.
The church is legally responsible for protecting its parishioners, students, and staff at the school. The church and school are located in a rural area of Alabama, which means there is no local police protection, and there would be no quick response should an active shooter situation arise.
The church police force is intended to provide private security at their property, paid for by their church. The church is actually trying to do the responsible thing and to accomplish this legally instead of just posting armed guards. They are signing up to meet Alabama Police Officer standards for conduct and review, and agreeing to meet POST accreditation standards.
This is no different from any other private college of university with a Campus Police Force. The argument by the ACLU that this is not constitutional, and violates the establishment clause of the First Amendment is nonsensical and a hysterically twisted interpretation of the First Amendment. The ACLU argument would fail any judicial review when college after college was shown to already have police powers through the establishment of Campus Police forces across the nation.
The church is seeking to form a police force to “to counter any potential threats because it is also home to a K-12 school and a theological seminary with 2,000 students and teachers”. That means it is not just a church, it is also a private school system, hosting students in kindergarten through college.
The church is legally responsible for protecting its parishioners, students, and staff at the school. The church and school are located in a rural area of Alabama, which means there is no local police protection, and there would be no quick response should an active shooter situation arise.
The church police force is intended to provide private security at their property, paid for by their church. The church is actually trying to do the responsible thing and to accomplish this legally instead of just posting armed guards. They are signing up to meet Alabama Police Officer standards for conduct and review, and agreeing to meet POST accreditation standards.
This is no different from any other private college of university with a Campus Police Force. The argument by the ACLU that this is not constitutional, and violates the establishment clause of the First Amendment is nonsensical and a hysterically twisted interpretation of the First Amendment. The ACLU argument would fail any judicial review when college after college was shown to already have police powers through the establishment of Campus Police forces across the nation.
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MSgt Michael Bischoff
So you are OK if a Mosque would ask to form the same type of police force? If you are not you argument is bogus. If you are OK then I respect your opinion.
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Col Jim Harmon
In fact, I am OK with a Mosque having a professional police force under the conditions outlined in the article (i.e., safeguarding a school). Because that means their campus police force is offering to meet State Police Standards for licensing, accreditation, inspection, and evaluation through POST standards. It also sends a clear signal about maintaining a professional law enforcement standard, and that they wish to work with local law enforcement.
This is already happening across the nation at hundreds of private, religious colleges and universities. This is a huge non-story that was phrased and presented by NBC to make it seem controversial.
I would point out to the many critics here, to look more carefully before they pounce. A Company called Akal Security is one of the largest providers of armed security (with arrest authority) in the U.S. Akal Security is run, and staffed, almost exclusively by Sikhs. It is funny that we have no reservation with granting a religious based organization armed protection status to some of our most sensitive bases and facilities, but gnash our teeth at a church trying to do the same for their own school.
This is already happening across the nation at hundreds of private, religious colleges and universities. This is a huge non-story that was phrased and presented by NBC to make it seem controversial.
I would point out to the many critics here, to look more carefully before they pounce. A Company called Akal Security is one of the largest providers of armed security (with arrest authority) in the U.S. Akal Security is run, and staffed, almost exclusively by Sikhs. It is funny that we have no reservation with granting a religious based organization armed protection status to some of our most sensitive bases and facilities, but gnash our teeth at a church trying to do the same for their own school.
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Maj John Bell
Where is the religious extremism here? The Clery Act requires all institutions of higher learning that receive federal funding to report campus crime statistics and to have safety and security measures in place. They face civil penalties if their measures are deemed inadequate after an incident. Many universities, colleges, and community colleges have their own armed police force as part of their responsibility to protect people on their campus. Many public schools have a armed police officer(s) assigned to the school during operating hours. This church undoubtedly does not receive federal funding. None the less, why is it that you begrudge a faith based organization and people of faith the same protective measures that the government deems a "best practice" for similar institutions?
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