A Kentucky sheriff is playing host to a church security conference next week, but it wasn’t spurred by last week’s shooting at a Texas church.
Rowan County Sheriff Matt Sparks said the security conference was “planned for a couple of months but the timing was kind of strange.”
On Dec. 23, a gunman wearing a fake beard pulled a shotgun from his clothing and began to open fire in the West Freeway Church in the Fort Worth area before being taken out with one shot by a by a highly trained member of the church’s volunteer security team.
There were 240 people at the church service with many diving behind pews for protection when the shooting started. The gunman was killed within six seconds.
It was just the latest example that no place is safe and church security is more important than ever, Sparks said.
The one-day conference is free and open to churches of all denominations, businesses and the general public. It will be from 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 9, at the Better Life Church in Morehead.
“We’d planned this all before the shooting in Texas but churches have always been a risk, in my opinion,” said Sparks, a 34-year veteran law enforcement officer. “I’m a Christian man, saved and baptized in ’98, but churches are no safer than any other place. It doesn’t matter how small or how rural in today’s world.”
Much of the attention in the Texas church shooting was on the heroic security guard who acted quickly to prevent more carnage. He was a highly trained individual who was prepared and not afraid to take action, according to reports.
Many, including President Donald Trump, hailed him as a hero who saved countless lives.
Sparks agreed that it was good he was there but said preparation and organization were the most important issues with a church security team in those situations.
“Just because you’re carrying a weapon you don’t want 10 people jumping in and criss-crossing shots across the church,” Sparks said. “Something we really stress is when that bullet leaves your gun, you’re responsible for it. Carrying a gun doesn’t qualify you to have a shootout at the church.”
“Like anything you do regularly, the key is training. It takes practice and getting into a routine. We like to call them safety teams.”
Being organized and prepared is the best way to stay safe, Sparks said.
“We did one (seminar) two or three years ago and got some feedback from local pastors that they’d be interested in having another seminar,” Sparks said. “One of my deputies who kind of spearheads this is Scott Barker, who is a retired FBI agent.”
Sparks said most of the churches in Rowan County have some form of security although others are less prepared.
“The other side of it, some say ‘God will watch over his church.’ We actually use some scripture where God talks about being prepared. He may not say anything about forming security teams, but He does mention being prepared.”
Presenting at the security training will be:
-Joe Cline, retired Morehead State University chief and Rowan County Sheriff’s Office chief.
-Tim Hazlette, retired colonel from Kentucky State Police.
-Matt Sparks, retired KSP captain and current Rowan County sheriff.
-Scott Barker, retire Supervisory Special Agent FBI.
-Don Alwes, Active Shooter Instructor, National Tactical Officers Association.
Better Life Church is at 111 BLC Road in Morehead.
Kentucky Today is online at: http://kentuckytoday.com