Church Seeks to Establish Its Own Police Force

[Ask Mr. Religion]

“They will conduct their own investigations,” explained Rowe. “They will conduct their own security. They will make their own arrests and instead of calling on the local law enforcement agency to take over the particular situation they’re trying to control, they will do that themselves. All they will utilize from their other law enforcement agencies is their lock up facilities."

See: http://theaquilareport.com/briarwoo...ks-lawmakers-approval-establish-police-force/

Is this a good idea?

 

[reaganmarsh]

Is this Harry Reeder's church?

Why in the world would a church need its own police force? Is there some huge issue of church discipline they're intending to handle by this method?

To the OP's question: I think it's a terrible idea. Good grief...

 

[NaphtaliPress]

Why do they need an official government granted force? What's wrong with private security? Knox did that for Wishart.

 

[BGF]

Is this Harry Reeder's church?

Why in the world would a church need its own police force? Is there some huge issue of church discipline they're intending to handle by this method?

To the OP's question: I think it's a terrible idea. Good grief...

Agreed. Terrible idea. I doubt the purpose is for church discipline. If it is, that body will find itself subject to discipline itself. If I had to guess, they are responding to civil problems on a large campus and the local law enforcement is unable or unwilling to respond quickly. That is the only reasonable explanation I can think of. I still think its a bad idea.

 

[Ask Mr. Religion]

Is this Harry Reeder's church?

Yes.

https://briarwood.org/resources/staff-directory/

 

[Edward]

We use a mix of off duty police and private security. I'd be concerned about potential liability, but perhaps there are problems with the local cops. There isn't really enough background in that story to see why someone would think that this is a good idea.

The church is large by denominational standards (is it the largest Anglophone congregation in the PCA?) but it is small by Texas standards.