Safety Summit Addresses Violence In Churches

Hundreds of clergy and representatives from religious organizations in Lake, McHenry and Kane counties attended a training summit Thursday meant to take aim at violence in places of worship, police said. The Lake County Sheriff's Office and Advocate Health Care teamed up to provide the day-long summit, which was held at Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Libertyville Township, according to a news release from the Lake County Sheriff's Office.

Clergy and members of religious organizations learned safety tips at the summit meant to help them better secure houses of worship and plan for a potential violent situation. Speakers included members from Lake County Sheriff’s Community & School Safety Team, Lake County Sheriff’s Tactical Response Team, Lake County Homeland Security, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

Some of the topics discussed were:

• Hometown Security
• Active Threats
• Targeted Violence: Pre-Attach Behaviors and Warning Signs
• Vulnerability Assessment and Planning
• Continuity and Recovery
• Run, Hide, and Fight, A.L.I.C.E. Model

"All faiths and religions are targets of violent acts. Nationally, over the years, many schools, businesses, and places of worship experienced vandalism, threats, and shootings," Lake Co. Sheriff Mark Curran said.

The summit, Curran said, was meant as a proactive approach to addressing potential violence in schools, places of worship, or businesses.

"We have a team of experts at the Lake County Sheriff’s Office willing to assist your school, religious organization or business in planning and preparedness," Curran said.

For more information, visit the sheriff's office's Community Safety Team website

Photo caption: Sheriff Mark Curran speaking to attendees about shootings and violence in schools, places of worship, and businesses/Photo credit: Lake County Sheriff's Office