Church Security Training

Staff report

AUSTINTOWN

Strategos International will host a two-day church security planning and intruder awareness/response training for Youngstown-area churches from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday at Four Mile Run Christian Church, 701 N. Four Mile Run Road.

The sessions will help educate churchgoers on advice and ways to protect themselves against shooters and other dangers in churches.

A cost for a standard one-day ticket is $99, and a ticket for both days is $159.

Recent events, including last week’s shooting at a funeral at New Vision New Day Ministry on the city’s South Side, shows there is a need for increased security at places of worship.

The organization has provided its services since 2008, training more than 17,000 church personnel representing more than 1,000 churches in the United States and overseas.

Vaughn Baker, president and co-founder of Strategos International, said the training will include how to plan ahead for situations and looking out for suspicious activity.

In addition to churches, Baker said people who attend synagogues and mosques are welcome. The training will be open to all area churches and ministries, but registration is required on the Strategos website: http://intruderresponse.com/schedule/2-day-church-security-planning-intruder-awarenessresponse-6/.