1. Our security team has over 60 hours per security team member and we continually add to that every month with training specifically to determine a correct use of force and quantity . I have spoken to many police officers who say we have had more training than them in specific use of force and 3 of our 6 members are nra instructors as well, Safety and correctly utilizing force if needed is why we train continuosly. Mon, May 3, 2010 11:08 PM findFind...
2. I am a police officer and I believe that our CCW holders participating on the security team should only act/react in circumstances surounding an active shooter. All other matters should be handled with our security team members that are sworn law enforcement and medical professionals. Mon, May 3, 2010 10:42 AM findFind...
First, he/she should demonstrate the CHARACTER required to carry a firearm, and I highly recommend ICE Training Company's Combat Focus Shooting and Advanced Pistol Handling program as a MINIMUM STARTER COURSE, with more courses on use of force, legal issues, and other relevant training, with a minimum of a one-day class focusing on defensive use of firearms once a year as continual recertification training. Vigilantes? I totally think not. Responsible gun owners, yes. Sun, May 2, 2010 2:29 PM findFind...
4. People who have CCW should carry their gun anywhere they are legally allowed to. But to be authorized to defend the church, additional training should be utilized. Sun, May 2, 2010 10:17 AM findFind...
5. Certainly must have a CCW permit. Additioanlly, the church should have a Security Team Policy Manual with a Use of Force policy and then training in the policy and tactics that require judgment decisions. Sat, May 1, 2010 7:44 PM findFind...
6. Many with a CCW and the church's permission to carry, train regularly, often to much the same standards as a police officer. Many of us feel that protection of the flock is a calling from God, same as the calling to service and the five-fold ministry - a calling that is taken seriously. I doubt that Jeanne Assam, who saved untold lives in Colorado, would take kindly to being compared to the store owner used as the example in your video - or to being called a vigilante. Sat, May 1, 2010 5:34 PM findFind...
7. Training should be ongoing and security person should have at least 5 years of previous experience. Fri, Apr 30, 2010 6:11 PM findFind...
8. I believe that church security officers who carry a weapon are (or as least should be) for the protection of the congregation. If they are doing it for any other reason then they should not be carrying. Also, I believe special training is mandatory and should be continuing. Fri, Apr 30, 2010 5:11 PM findFind...
9. Church security should have a CCW course and a 2 day tactical training and lecture course available from a number of high quality firearms training schools. Thu, Apr 29, 2010 10:25 PM findFind...
10. I feel that they should have military (preferably military police) and/ or police training. Something beyond a simple CCW course or just years of familiarity with firearms. Thu, Apr 29, 2010 2:33 PM findFind...
11. Church security 'guards' should be hired, not trained in the church. Security teams at our church practice many situations, but do not use firearm training at all. Do our members carry weapons? absolutley. Do our security team members carry weapons? Sure they do. DOes our security team members carry weapons as part of some policy?
absolutely not. Thu, Apr 29, 2010 8:59 AM findFind...
12. I am a civilian Ministry of Helps Coordinator with a CCW license, no military, police or tactical training. Although our security force is not armed, we all have CC Licenses. Our Texas CC Classes specifically address reasonable force and the liabilities that one faces when chosing to use force. I feel that the CCW training is sufficient in combination with the screening that we perform to make sure that we have the most responsible people serving on our security team. Thu, Apr 29, 2010 12:36 AM findFind...
13. Since use-of-force laws are going to apply no matter what amount of training the person has, a CCW course should be more than sufficient. Wed, Apr 28, 2010 10:38 PM findFind...
14. Most of our security personnell are current or former law enforcement- but we have armed and unarmed nurses, EMTs, firefighters and the like as well. Wed, Apr 28, 2010 9:24 PM findFind...
15. A CCW course to begin with. The church security team should have frequent and repetious training on reacting to ALL situations, not just someone carrying a weapon (knife or gun or whatever...). Wed, Apr 28, 2010 9:06 PM findFind...
16. The reference to those of us who volunteer to be members of a Church Security Team as "vigilantes" is absurd. Maybe a stronger understanding of current operating teams and their qualifications and training processes is in order for Mr. Hammar. Wed, Apr 28, 2010 6:58 PM findFind...
17. We have training in weapons use from some of the local off-duty police that attend our church. Memebers have to qualify with their weapon before they are allowed to carry in the church. I highly recommend training in weapons use before you even think about allowing any security team to carry. We also have every member of our team qualify with other members looking on so that if there are any questions or concerns they can voice them with a knowledge of how that person did on the range. We do not take carrying a gun lightly. Wed, Apr 28, 2010 3:55 PM findFind...
18. In our church, members who are off-duty sworn law enforcement officers may carry/use firearms as volunteers for our "Worship Center Security Team." A concealed (or other) weapons permit alone, even with (extensive) training, is insufficient. Wed, Apr 28, 2010 3:47 PM findFind...
19. A team should have CCW training, tactical training, and should have some PPCT training or hands on training. Wed, Apr 28, 2010 12:23 PM findFind...
20. Only a select few are armed at our church. In fact those that are approved have prior police training and or military police training. Beyond that they have received excellent tactical training from a regional police training firm. Then we mandate they have ongoing range training, situational training and Airsoft training in our buildings.
I understand Hammer’s concerns of having 'Bubba' carrying a gun to church and then being told, and expected, to respond in an appropriate manner to a life-threatening situation. Without vital training the church very well could be making a horrible situation worse. Shooting at a still piece of paper is very different than returning fire in a tactically advantages manner in an auditorium setting filled with hysterical people – some of which are your own family.
As a church leader my other concern is that we might be sending ‘Bubba’ to a battle he is unable to win. I believe that just as there is a risk to the church from what an untrained ‘Bubba’ might do to others, I think churches may also be liable for asking ‘Bubba’ to enter into a life-threatening situation without the proper training to survive. His family may argue the church failed to provide him the needed training and therefore the church is liable for his death.
My philosophy is that training protects the church from both. If 'Bubba' has been properly trained and continues to train and prepare to respond to life-threatening situations he will respond as he was trained. I can’t pick when the bad guys come, but I can prepare (train) my team to respond to it in an appropriate manner minimizing the risk to others while maximizing their survivability.
We do not utilize vigilantes; we have a screened, handpicked and trained response team. Wed, Apr 28, 2010 11:30 AM findFind...
21. All of our saftey members are law enforcement officer we are made up of local, state and fedreal law enforcement officers. If a church has to use non-law enforcement persons, all of them should have to attend on-going training CCW, Tactical and any other training in law enforcement. Wed, Apr 28, 2010 11:17 AM findFind...
22.I think a course of training would be good, though most states LTC requires knowledge on the legal use of force. I am taking a NRA protection in the home course, after taking a basic pistol course, and one of the instructors is a former Illinois State Trooper retired, both say that after taking these two courses we will be as well or better trained than most police officers. They also states that probably 50% of us were better shots than the average police officer, some of whom only go to the range before they have to requalify with their handgun. Wed, Apr 28, 2010 10:19 AM findFind...
23. Making a comparison of church security volunteers and the shooting incident in the drug store robbery is disingenious. All of the above qualifiers for carrying in church can be okay, "if the person possesses the the maturity, knowledge, training and physical skills that are required to handle stressful situations." Picking one of the qualifiers and not checking into the volunteers actual abilities is asking for problems. Picking a security guard company or off duty police to better cover the legal aspects rather than determining that you have done your best to make your church safe, is providing less for the church than I find acceptable. If a church has qualified law enforcement members that have the skills to handle armed situations then that in my opinion is the way to go. If they do not have such individuals but have those that meet one or more of the qualifiers, then those people should be looked into thoroughly to see if they possess the qualities listed. I believe those qualities may hold up under scrutiny as well or better than the fact that a security guard of off duty police officer was hired based solely on that position. Wed, Apr 28, 2010 9:23 AM findFind...
24. Of course, the more training the better. Your sight offers a great deal of additional training beyone a ccw course. I also believe that a senior church leader needs to be very discerning about those chosen to serve on a security team. Choosing someone who might need anger management or have other issues that might cause him/her to respond in an immature or irresponsible way could lead to an unnecessary use of force. Thanks for what you guys bring to the church. Dave Tidwell Wed, Apr 28, 2010 8:54 AM findFind...
Glen Evans
