BERKELEY COUNTY, S.C.—Since 1999, there have been more than 470 violent deaths while at church or on faith-based property in the United States, according to SafeAtChurch.org. In Berkeley County, churches are certainly not immune to crime.
“A while back during a Wednesday service at United Methodist Church in Goose Creek, a guy came in with a shot gun and he robbed the people during their choir practice and then escaped,” stated Lt. Frank Jackson with the Berkeley Co. Sheriff’s Office.
During this 2012 incident, authorities said that the gunman entered the church through an unlocked door and told the choir members to get on the floor and to “keep your heads down, or I’ll blow your heads off.”
“Immaculate Conception in Goose Creek was robbed of $10,000 in 2009,” Jackson added.
Just this year alone, multiple churches though out Berkeley County have been the target of thefts—some occurring while church goers were inside worshiping.
“This is the Bible belt right here in this tricounty area,” stated Jackson. “These churches are soft targets because they don’t have a continuous police presence or any type of security. Some have cameras, but if you can have a gunman come inside your church or someone that comes in to do harm to somebody else and there are innocent bystanders there, a camera cannot do anything to save lives.”
Jackson not only has nearly thirty years of working in law enforcement, he is a minister, too. He is also the owner of Defensive Technologies Training Center where he and his team provide training to church members on how to keep their house of worship safe.
“We do an assessment of the church, and we let the people, who act as the church’s security team, go through scenarios at the range or either at the church. We help them find blind spots and places where people would try to come in,” stated Jackson. “I’ve heard people say, ‘Well, we have police presence outside.’ Well, the bad guys have distracters. While these officers are distracted outside something else could be going on inside.”
Starting September 16th, Jackson will also offer a class on church security at Trident Technical College’s main campus on Rivers Avenue in North Charleston.
“We’re going to talk about the various assaults that have occurred at different houses of worship,” stated Jackson. “It’s not about getting people afraid. It’s about trying to be prepared. We are a people who tend to act on things after they happen. We are reactive more so than proactive.”
This eight hour course will also cover:
• the use of deadly force
• self defense
• recognizing the threat
• the mindset of a security team
• risk assessment
• guidelines for executive and dignitary protection
• conclusions drawn from active shooter incidents
According to Jackson, the course will also be offered in October and November and in March, April and May of next year.
“Being a minister, we want to keep our people safe,” stated Jackson. “It doesn’t matter if a church is small or large. They are all vulnerable, and this is what we want them to see. “
For more information on the course, click here. You can also call (843) 574-6111.
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