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by rtschl
Sun Jul 03, 2011 10:07 pm
Forum: General Texas CHL Discussion
Topic: Looking for a New Church
Replies: 36
Views: 6411

Re: Looking for a New Church

Greybeard wrote:Quote: "avoid discussing Wedgewood altogether - like pointing out that had CHL carry in church been legal at the time, there may have been fewer casualties."

FWIW, it was legal at the time, as churches (excepting notice via 30.06) came off the prohibited list Sept. 1, 1997, considerably prior to the shooting at Wedgewood.

My bad. I thought the Wedgewood shooting happened just before the law was changed. Thank you for the correction.

Ron
by rtschl
Sun Jul 03, 2011 9:06 pm
Forum: General Texas CHL Discussion
Topic: Looking for a New Church
Replies: 36
Views: 6411

Re: Looking for a New Church

Retrieverman,

Definitely pray about it! And I agree with Hoi, talk to the pastor. It is important that he hears from you about this. Let him know you're not wanting to be Batman or a LEO wannabe. He's going to be sensitive to Wedgewood, so I would probably avoid discussing Wedgewood altogether - like pointing out that had CHL carry in church been legal at the time, there may have been fewer casualties.

We have more than a few LEO's at our church with various agencies. One however was opposed to our security team that we have set up. We are licensed by the State and are concealed as Level IV. He actively made it known that it would be better for the church to hire him. I like the guy, but I got the impression that his motivation is that he wants a paycheck for attending church in uniform. Nothing wrong with that and I know if something happens, we can count on him if he is there. But like your LEO's, ours are not at every service either. I would venture a guess that they make about a fourth of our services each month. Our team (or part thereof) is at EVERY service and we try to have someone at special church events as well.

I would mention to your pastor that you have discussed with others (here on this forum) who have non-LEO security teams in place at their churches as well as those that do not, but allow CHL carry. It works well and our church is safer with all of us: our LEO's, our security team, and our CHL members. Our security team and all of our LEO's still can't be everywhere. Personally, I would not like to be responsible for someone not being able to protect themselves or their family from a bad guy because I or a member of my team was not in the exact spot to do it for them. Most of our LEO's feel the same way.

The various church safety seminars (LEO run seminars included) and other church security people that I have met over the last couple of years would all agree with the above. Unless your church can afford to pay multiple LEO's to attend every service (be early and leave late), it really isn't a reasonable for LEO's or even a security team to be the only ones to carry at a church.

Hope it works out for you and that you don't end up leaving over this.

Ron

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