A new program that would offer deputy training to Bradley County church members has some interested, others worried and some scratching their heads.

Bradley County Sheriff Tim Gobble said a July 27 shooting in a Knoxville church prompted him to form a special-deputy church security program. But some county commissioners worry about the need for such a program and the potential of county liability.

“This is something I’ve been thinking about for some time,” Sheriff Gobble said in an interview last week.

“Churches are in a situation where money is handled. There may be emotional issues associated with divorce,” he said.

Participants who complete training will have deputy powers, including authority to carry a firearm, for official church activities. The sheriff said churches with at least 50 members that meet nonprofit status requirements are eligible to participate. Each church may have up to two special deputies.

But County Commissioner Jim Smith said he’s worried that having armed church members might create more problems than it would fix. He worried that the county could be liable for any incident involving a special church deputy.

“I don’t think it was well thought out,” Mr. Smith said. He also questioned the membership requirement.

“Do those with 49 members deserve less protection?” Mr. Smith said.

Commissioner Lisa Stanbery said she’s also worried about liability as well as the cost of the program.

Sheriff Gobble said he didn’t have exact figures, but he said the training would be part of the current deputy and reserve deputy training programs.

Pastor Guinn Green, of the Kinser Road Church of God in Cleveland, asked about the program soon after its announcement. He said members have volunteered for the training.

“We’ll have people in place to disarm an intruder,” he said.

Senior Pastor Reed Shell of Broad Street United Methodist Church said he’s had discussions with church staff, but he’s concerned about how they might use security measures.

“I understand the reaction and the concern, but I’m not absolutely convinced that’s the best response,” Mr. Shell said.

Mr. Shell said two deputies might not be enough for a large church and many entrances.

“It seems purely by chance that you would catch somebody,” he said.

With 32 years in ministry, Mr. Shell said there needs to be a balance between an open facility and safety.

Glen Evans is a consultant with Church Security Alliance, an Ohio-based organization that educates churches on security topics.

Mr. Evans, a public safety officer, said the alliance formed in 2003 in response to a growing awareness of violence targeting churches across the United States. The alliance built a Web site to share security information in early 2007.

Mr. Evans cautioned that security members should have either tactical law enforcement experience or receive training specific to the job.

“The burden of carrying a weapon is huge,” Mr. Evans said.

Security should be built around analysis of where a church is vulnerable, he said.

He said church size changes the burdens on the facility.

“We have a megachurch movement, but the average church that is 100, 200 maybe 900 members can’t afford to pay security to come in and I have a question of whether they need to do that,” Mr. Evans said.

In smaller churches, most people know each other, he said. When a church has 1,000 or more members, it’s harder to keep track of who’s who.

Sheriff Gobble said some area churches already have their own security, while others have law enforcement members who can help out. He said his program provides one more option.

Side Orders