Thursday, April 13, 2017

RELIGIOUS POLICE IN THE U.S.

by Bob Walsh

The Alabama senate has voted to allow a church to form its own police department. The 24-4 vote was taken on Tuesday and will allow the Briarwood Presbyterian Church in Birmingham to establish a law enforcement agency.

The church asserts that it needs the force to keep its school and its congregants safe. Opponents are worried it could be used to cover up crimes by church officials, in much the same way that Richard Nixon used the FBI.

There are a few private schools in Alabama that have their own police forces (as there are in other states) but the state has never given permission like this to a non-school entity. I wonder how the concurrent jurisdiction issue would work?

The matter will be voted on in the House next week.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Most church's use existing LE members for security.

bob walsh said...

Not talking about private security. We are talking about an actual police force. Huge difference.