TAMPA, Fla. – It was standing room only Thursday night as more than 100 faith leaders listened to Tampa police break down deterring, delaying and defending against attacks.
What we know:
Religious leaders in the Tampa Bay area are taking another look at their security after recent violence at places of worship.
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“It’s always a concern. We look at the events that go on across the country and elsewhere, and we see what’s going on. We want to make sure that they’re comfortable and that they know us and that they’re comfortable with calling us,” said Assistant Chief Brett Owen of the Tampa Police Department.
Some recent violence includes attacks at churches in Minnesota and Michigan and at the Jewish museum in Washington, D.C. Jeffrey Torres was one of many local religious group members who attended TPD’s Houses of Worship security training at the City Center on Hanna Avenue, ready to learn and adjust.
“We’ve had security for many, many years now, but we had to definitely double down after the October 7 attacks, because there was a lot of threats even in our local area, in the Bay Area, against synagogues,” said Torres, who leads security at the Shoresh David Messianic Synagogue of Tampa.
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What they’re saying:
Tampa police said it was their first event focused on security training for houses of worship. About half an hour in, people were still showing up to pack the room. The goal is to make local places of worship and their communities safer, police said.
“Help them look at their facilities in how to look the landscaping and such to make sure they’re providing a natural barrier, but yet they’re not giving a space where someone could hide, you know, ambush them, things like that,” said Owen.
At Palma Ceia Presbyterian Church, Pastor John DeBevoise said they haven’t had any major security incidents, but safety is never far from their mind.
“We want to be hospitable. We think that’s a part of the call of the gospel to welcome people, but we also think that it’s the heart of the Gospel that people are able to gather in peace and witness to God’s shalom. So, the balance of those things is intentional and requires not only preparation but also reflection,” said DeBevoise.
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Tampa police want the leaders to tailor what they shared to their spaces, so their needs are met.
“I think it’s very helpful for the Tampa Police Department to have this event. So, we wanted to do our part by showing up and learning what they have to teach us,” said DeBevoise.
The tips TPD shared at the training event would work for general crime and targeted attacks. The assistant chief said he hopes to host more of those security training events for faith leaders in the future. Â
The Source: The information in this story was gathered by FOX 13’s Briona Arradondo.