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ALabama Senate votes to allow church to have it's own police force

RAMOSS

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It is certainly weird. Why can't the church just hire security like any other church would?
 
What makes them "police" and not Security?
 
What makes them "police" and not Security?

Likely a certain amount of power and jurisdiction. Such as, they may be able to make arrests. I think security can detain, but not make arrests. Though I could also just be making that up, I didn't research that at all.

But it's probably some amount of power and possibly access to state/federal funds. Maybe they get that kick ass police armory stuff now.
 
I'm fine with this so long as their jurisdiction is confined to church property and they don't go off the rails and start detaining or arresting people for religious reasons.
 
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news...rch-police-force-senate-vote?CMP=share_btn_fb

Do people think this violates the separation of Church and state?

Giving the church an armed force; what could go wrong?

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It is certainly weird. Why can't the church just hire security like any other church would?

It's a UK story. (what is it with UK publications suddenly becoming the experts on US news?). I see nothing defining police force. For all I know the church hired a couple of security guards. Churches can do that.
 
You mean like their own personal Taliban?
 
What makes them "police" and not Security?

Church police will be much more authoritarian than church security. There is a world of difference between the two. Unfortunately in Alabama that will work just fine. Alabama is a fine state with some very good people there but, they are ultraconservative and they like all things authoritarian.

Jackboots and Jesus, it will be a great way to keep rednecks and black folks out of that church.
 
Maybe that's what they did. Can you define police force vs security as it applies to this situation?

A security officer protects property or people. However, they do not enforce laws that are unrelated to that specific purpose. For example, a security officer does not write a speeding ticket or enforce a bench warrant.

So why would they need police officers rather than just security officers?
 
Briarwood Presbyterian Church and school wants its own police force | AL.com

A bill advertised by the Alabama Messenger - fulfilling the requirement of all bills before they can be introduced in the Legislature - would allow Briarwood to "appoint and employ one or more persons to act as police officers to protect the safety and integrity of the church and its ministries."

Those persons would be "charged with all of the duties and invested with all the powers of law enforcement in this state."

"The authority of any police officer appointed and employed pursuant to this section shall be restricted to the campuses and properties of Briarwood Presbyterian Church," it says.

Who do you call about police abuse? The preacher? The Principal? How does one contest a charge? Nobody knows, because this bill is unprecedented.

But lawyer Eric Johnston, who advertised the bill for Briarwood, said Briarwood is unique because it has a church, a seminary, an elementary school and a high school. There is activity on the property almost 24 hours a day and a police force, he said, would be cheaper than hired security.

"Wonder what judges, prosecutors, jail, court system they would use," Christian said... misdemeanor arrests would be turned over to the jurisdiction in which they occur.

These days, if an arrest occurs at a private school such as Briarwood, police or deputies in that jurisdiction make a report, which ostensibly becomes a public record - with all the checks and balances that brings.

But the questions of a private church police force are staggering. This is unprecedented.

Think about it. If this bill is passed you could yell too loudly at a Briarwood soccer game and be charged with a misdemeanor.

By an agency that is not subject to the open meetings act.

In a place that is not required to hold public meetings.
 
That'll improve the collection process.

Sent from my LG-V930 using Tapatalk
 
I'm fine with this so long as their jurisdiction is confined to church property and they don't go off the rails and start detaining or arresting people for religious reasons.

Presbyterians aren't exactly known to be rabble rousers
 
If a Christian church can have a police force what will stop Muslim Mosques from doing the same thing and arming them with AK47's?

Fill us in.
 
I don't think it would be much different than a college having campus police. As long as the police are properly vetted and trained then I don't see a problem with a church campus having their own police department...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Campus_police
 
If people have a problem with a church wanting to protect the students within it's property, then let's wipe out all the security/police forces on private college campuses nationwide.
 
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