Pennsylvania pastor who had gun pulled on him during sermon hosts church security event
NORTH BRADDOCK, Pa. (KDKA) — A North Braddock pastor took action to make his church and congregation safer after a man pulled a gun on him in the middle of his sermon earlier this year.
"We just want to have more eyes on our property," Pastor Glenn Germany said on Thursday.
In May, Bernard Polite walked into Jesus' Dwelling Place Church and pulled a gun on the pastor in the middle of his sermon. Video taken by the church's deacon and posted online showed the moment the pastor suddenly found himself staring down the barrel of a gun.
"I've been healing every day," Pastor Germany said.
On Thursday, faith leaders from around the area gathered at Jesus' Dwelling Place Church to learn about how to better protect worshippers. They were joined by local, state and federal law enforcement.
The leaders who attended the forum understand a common danger, but it's not universal.
"There's no such thing as a safe house of worship anymore," Tree of Life Rabbi Jeffrey Myers said.
"Every house of worship needs to be evaluated and have security because they simply aren't safe anymore," he added.
He was at his congregation the day a gunman shot and killed 11 worshippers in 2018.
"Those who believe that they are safe and it would never happen are diluting themselves into thinking they are invulnerable," he said.
Others like Total Salvation Ministries Turtle Creek Pastor Barry Ratliff have faced their own challenges.
"In my church last year, we were broken into and all of our computers were taken," Ratliff said.
Speakers shared how faith leaders need to create action plans and security teams and make their own rules.
Many struggle with small budgets, but officials educated them on grant programs that could help pay for tougher security like cameras, metal detectors and armed guards. This week, Pastor Germany said he applied for funding through the Nonprofit Security Grant Program.
"The federal government will look over your entire facility for free and make recommendations on what you can do to make your place even safer," Myers said. "Anyone who does not take up that offer to be able to make sure they have the safest possible space is doing a disservice to their congregants."
Pastor Germany said would like to add lights, surveillance cameras around the church and an intercom system so people can't just walk in like Polite did.
At the same time, Myers says church leaders all need to strike a balance between being safe and being welcoming.
"Those who lean too far to the balance of welcoming to the exclusion of being safe, those are the places I worry about," Myers said.
He stressed the importance of faith leaders training for all sorts of emergencies. Myers added that they can make their congregations safe only if they work together