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Sheriff's office offering help to churches following Texas massacre

By Berndt Petersen, WSB-TV, Chris Jose, WSB-TV and Mark Winn
By Berndt Petersen, WSB-TV, Chris Jose, WSB-TV and Mark Winn

WALTON COUNTY, Ga. — On the heels of the massacre at a church in Texas, local places of worship are being forced to rethink their security.

The Walton County Sheriff’s Office is offering help for churches to make sure something like the mass shooting doesn’t happen in their county.

The office's Facebook page offered to develop "plans to insure the safety of their parishioners."

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Twenty-six people were killed and more than 20 were injured in the shooting in Sutherland Springs Sunday.

The victims ranged in age from 18 months to 70 years old, officials said.

DeKalb mega-church House of Hope Pastor E. Dewey Smith told Channel 2's Mark Winne he long ago realized he must both love even his enemies while as a good shepherd, protecting his flock.

"It has to be a welcoming place but it also has to be a safe place," he said.

Dr. Smith says he's gotten threats from witches and atheists, the deranged and the disconnected.

"A significant portion of our budget is spent on armed officers," he said.

DeKalb County police detective J.K. Walker said the Texas church murders hit him hard as a man of faith and as an officer.

"We all go to places of worship to get away from the world, but we're gonna deal with active shooter," he said.

Henry County Sheriff Keith McBrayer said he’s been offering church security classes for several years designed for key people at the church to take lessons back to church leadership.

"We've got one scheduled in the next couple of weeks," he said.

The sheriff says the sessions are well attended attendees get a blueprint for a security plan and, when asked, his folks will do a security assessment at houses of worship that request it.

Safe America Foundation CEO Len Pagano says he knows now why he was moved to include church security at a recent safety summit he hosted just days ago at WSB-TV with attendees like retired Gen. Russell Honore whose organization works with churches on crisis plans.

"We're planning to offer more training for churches. We live in a fallen and a depraved world. Scriptures tell us if the people of God will humble ourselves pray and seek the face of God and turn from our wicked ways then God will heal our land," he said.

Cox Media Group

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