OK am I missing something here....

[Ohiogal]

CNN)An Alabama megachurch plans to start its own police force thanks to a new law permitting the church to do just that.
The law, signed by Gov. Kay Ivey, authorizes Briarwood Presbyterian to "appoint and employ one or more suitable persons to act as police officers to protect the property of the school or academy."

A similar bill was proposed four years ago, but it was dropped by the Alabama legislature amid a public outcry over the Presbyterian Church in America's racist history, as well as criticism that the bill was unconstitutional and violated the Establishment Clause's separation of church and state. Briarwood Presbyterian is part of the PCA.

Briarwood Presbyterian's congregation is overwhelmingly white. Nearby Birmingham is two-thirds black.

The PCA is a conservative denomination that originated early 1970s Alabama. In 2016 it apologized for "racial sins" that included "the segregation of worshipers by race" as well as "the participation in and defense of white supremacist organizations," among other things.
Officials at Briarwood Presbyterian Church say that a police force is necessary in order to adequately protect its 4,100 members, including 2,000 students and faculty on its two campusus.

The church hopes its new security force will keep intruders and prevent trespassers from accessing the property, it said in a press release that was posted by CNN affiliate WBRC.

More: https://www.cnn.com/2019/06/21/politics/alabama-megachurch-police-force-trnd/index.html

************ They just can't hire security guards????

[safeinOhio]

1. Oh ye of little faith....,thoughts

and prayers.

[rurallib]

2. I thought this was pretty strange also

What exactly does the term 'police officer' mean exactly? Does it imply the 'officer; can employ deadly force? Where exactly does the 'officer' have jurisdiction? Maybe this is spelled out in the bill, but if not I suspect there will be problems almost immediately.

And if the Presbyterians can have their own police, I suspect other denominations and churches will want the same.

Just seems to open to abuse.

[Ferrets are Cool]

5. Oh, just think of the OUTRAGE if Mosque's start doing this shit?

[rurallib]

7. yeah - I noted this law seems to be specific to one place - probably

just for that reason. If Muslims and Satanic Temples and {gawd forbid} ATHEISTS could have their own cops why it would be chaos. It's OK as long as it's just the Presbyterians!

[Turin_C3PO]

3. Strange.

The Presbyterian churches around here are very liberal, the exact opposite of white supremacist. I wonder what’s the deal with the Alabama church.

[Ferrets are Cool]

4. Kay Ivey is a smoldering pile of dogshit

I hate her almost as much as Agent Orange.

[Hotler]

6. if they can do that. They can be taxed. nt

[Fla Dem]

8. One of those mega churches.

I agree. I'm not sure what the difference is between having their own"police force", and hiring a security firm to patrol their campus. If they're paid by the state or community, then I would see a problem. But if paid by the church I'm not seeing it. I'm no fan of these churches, but don't see the issue.

Critics say the mega-church already has private security and under the new law it would gain state authority that could be abused if officers are answerable only to church officials.

More>>>
https://www.npr.org/2019/06/20/734591147/new-alabama-law-permits-church-to-hire-its-own-police-force

[Ohiogal]

11. I'm just thinking

Wouldn’t the state crap their pants if a mosque petitioned to do the exact same thing. And how can they justify favoritism in letting only one specific religion do this and not another.

Overall, it still baffles me that they can’t just hire security guards. I think something is missing from what they’re telling us.

[Fla Dem]

12. Well that's exactly what should happen, Hope some "other" denomination tries it.

But I still don't understand the distinction between a security officer and a police officer. Many security officers are retired police officers. Why would that give the state authority over these "policemen". If that's the case, the church should lose their tax exemption.

I feel sorry for our Alabama DUer's, their state is pretty messed up right now. Florida isn't too far behind, so I feel their pain.

[dameatball]

9. So let them provide their own fire department and their own energency medical services. At least

the taxpayers wouldn't be footing that bill for a tax exempt church/BUSINESS.

[smirkymonkey]

10. Do they really have that much of a problem with "intruders and trespassers" now?

Who is paying for this "police force"? How will they be different from having hired security guards? I really hope that public tax dollars aren't footing the bill for this. I am suspicious because this needed to be signed off on by the Governor. If they were just going to hire security and pay for them out of their own funds, why would the governor's signature be necessary for that?