Sheriff’s office hosts first-ever Church Safety Conference

GOLDEN TOWNSHIP — The Oceana County Sheriff’s Office is hosting its first-ever Church Safety Conference Saturday, Sept. 19, from 8 a.m. to noon at Grace Adventures in Silver Lake.

“We are excited to offer this conference locally because we believe there is a genuine need for this type of information in our community,” said Oceana County Undersheriff Ryan Schiller. “Our goal is to partner with local churches by providing practical, meaningful information and resources that church leaders and security teams can take back and put into practice.

“Our country has experienced a number of tragic events involving places of worship and other public gatherings. We believe the citizens and visitors of Oceana County should be able to attend worship services and other religious activities safely and confidently. Our churches are an important part of our communities, and we want to help them prepare for and respond to potential emergencies.”

The four-hour conference will cover a variety of topics, including:

• Church security teams and security planning;
• ALICE and active-threat response;
• Stop the Bleed and emergency medical response;
• Michigan CPL laws and considerations;
• Communications;
• Access control and physical security;
• Other practical safety and security topics.

The conference will be packed with information designed to provide churches with practical tools and resources they can use immediately.

“We encourage churches throughout Oceana County to attend and take advantage of this opportunity to learn, ask questions, and connect with others who are working to improve safety within their congregations,” said Undersheriff Schiller.

Several vendors will also be on site to showcase products, services, and solutions that may be beneficial to churches as church officials evaluate their security and emergency preparedness needs.

“There is no substitute for preparation. We look forward to partnering with our local churches to help make Oceana County a safer place for everyone,” said Schiller.

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