GASTONIA, N.C. — Gaston County Sheriff Alan Cloninger provided security and safety training for houses of worship and congregations in the area after the recent church shooting in Sutherland Springs, Texas.
The sheriff held the seminar Wednesday night at the sheriff’s office in Gastonia where nearly 100 people attended.
The North Carolina Sheriff's Association organized a group of sheriffs and sheriffs' personnel from across the state several years ago to develop training materials to help places of worship create security plans.
Cloninger and several of his administrative staff participated with this group and helped design the training materials.
“Over the years it’s gotten worse and worse,” Rev. Mike Criswell, with Love Memorial Baptist Church, said. “I never thought the day would come when we need armed security in the church, but we live in a world that wicked.”
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