NOVI, Mich. (WXYZ) — Some places of worship are rethinking safety protocols after recent violent incidents with the help of Michigan State Police.
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The urgency became clear after two major incidents this year. In June, a shooter opened fire at a church in Wayne before being stopped by a deacon.
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In September, a mass shooting and arson occurred at a meetinghouse of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc.
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Michigan State Police offers specialized training to help faith communities prepare for potential threats. On Wednesday, their one-day course, called "Security in Places of Worship," was held at the Novi Police's training center.
"I hate seeing things like what we saw in Grand Blanc. You never want to see loss of life ever," said Col. James Grady II, director of Michigan State Police.
The training drew faith leaders from across the state, many still processing the reality that violence can reach even sacred spaces.
"When that happened, I just really felt for the community, I felt for the families, and I also thought about my church," said Rodney Ross of Faith Citadel in Detroit.
Kim Garver from First United Methodist Church in Ann Arbor said the Grand Blanc incident led to more awareness.
"It was close to home, and it was so real and so violent, and although we know it can happen, it just really made us stand up, take notice, and accelerate our process in getting this done," Garver said.
The training focuses on developing comprehensive safety plans rather than instilling fear. Grady emphasized that education is crucial for protecting congregations.
"Education's the key for you to be able to develop a plan to keep you and the people of your place of worship safe, to know what the vulnerabilities are, to make sure there are medical kits, to know where you're going to rally up at, to know where you're going to exit when an incident happens," Grady said. “This, too, is a preventable measure. Just for them to walk into this class and hear information about how they can better protect their place of worship and the members that attend there is a start and without that you don’t have anything.”
Aaron Tobin, Director of Security at Lubavitch organizations, praised the quality of the training.
"I've been hearing about the Michigan State Police training for years. This is the first one I've attended, and it has been excellent so far, and I really appreciate them putting on this training," Tobin said.
For many attendees, the challenge lies in maintaining the welcoming nature of religious spaces while ensuring safety.
"You have to be prepared, and it's really a dichotomy when you're thinking about going to church because you want to celebrate your faith, but at the same time, there's a risk involved just because of where people, where the world is right now," Ross said.
Garver echoed the delicate balance faith communities must strike.
"It's a really tough balance between being welcoming and yet still providing safety and security, and I think we just have to go back to the roots of loving and welcoming everyone," Garver said.
The training represents a shift in how religious institutions approach security, emphasizing preparation over fear while maintaining their core mission of providing sanctuary for all who seek it.
About 45 people were in attendance.
Col. Grady says they plan to offer additional training in the future with hopes to expand to larger spaces.
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