The Alabama Senate has voted to allow a church to form its own police force.
Lawmakers on Tuesday voted 24-4 to allow Briarwood Presbyterian church in Birmingham to establish a law enforcement department.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news...rch-police-force-senate-vote?CMP=share_btn_fb
Do people think this violates the separation of Church and state?
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news...rch-police-force-senate-vote?CMP=share_btn_fb
Do people think this violates the separation of Church and state?
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news...rch-police-force-senate-vote?CMP=share_btn_fb
Do people think this violates the separation of Church and state?
What makes them "police" and not Security?
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news...rch-police-force-senate-vote?CMP=share_btn_fb
Do people think this violates the separation of Church and state?
It is certainly weird. Why can't the church just hire security like any other church would?
It's a UK story. (what is it with UK publications suddenly becoming the experts on US news?). I see nothing defining police force. For all I know the church hired a couple of security guards. Churches can do that.
Local news affiliates are reporting it as well: Alabama Senate votes to allow church to form police dept. - WBRC FOX6 News - Birmingham, AL
I just don't see why a church needs an official police force rather than simply hiring security.
It's a UK story. (what is it with UK publications suddenly becoming the experts on US news?). I see nothing defining police force. For all I know the church hired a couple of security guards. Churches can do that.
Here is source from the US. https://www.usnews.com/news/best-st...7-04-11/alabama-senate-oks-church-police-bill
What makes them "police" and not Security?
Maybe that's what they did. Can you define police force vs security as it applies to this situation?
A bill advertised by the Alabama Messenger - fulfilling the requirement of all bills before they can be introduced in the Legislature - would allow Briarwood to "appoint and employ one or more persons to act as police officers to protect the safety and integrity of the church and its ministries."
Those persons would be "charged with all of the duties and invested with all the powers of law enforcement in this state."
"The authority of any police officer appointed and employed pursuant to this section shall be restricted to the campuses and properties of Briarwood Presbyterian Church," it says.
Who do you call about police abuse? The preacher? The Principal? How does one contest a charge? Nobody knows, because this bill is unprecedented.
But lawyer Eric Johnston, who advertised the bill for Briarwood, said Briarwood is unique because it has a church, a seminary, an elementary school and a high school. There is activity on the property almost 24 hours a day and a police force, he said, would be cheaper than hired security.
"Wonder what judges, prosecutors, jail, court system they would use," Christian said... misdemeanor arrests would be turned over to the jurisdiction in which they occur.
These days, if an arrest occurs at a private school such as Briarwood, police or deputies in that jurisdiction make a report, which ostensibly becomes a public record - with all the checks and balances that brings.
But the questions of a private church police force are staggering. This is unprecedented.
Think about it. If this bill is passed you could yell too loudly at a Briarwood soccer game and be charged with a misdemeanor.
By an agency that is not subject to the open meetings act.
In a place that is not required to hold public meetings.
I'm fine with this so long as their jurisdiction is confined to church property and they don't go off the rails and start detaining or arresting people for religious reasons.
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