Maricopa Police Department is hosting a house of worship security training on Saturday focused on prevention and situational awareness.
The session will be held at 10 a.m. on Jan. 31 at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints building, 37280 W. Bowlin Road.
At last week’s Futures Planning meeting, MPD Chief Mark Goodman said the idea was proposed by one of the department’s officers.
“Officer Sean Horst was new to our department and he approached me and asked if we thought it would be a good engagement tool to have the house of worship training. And I couldn’t agree with it more,” Goodman said during the Thursday meeting.
The non-denominational event is geared toward faith leaders and congregant but is open to all community members.
“It’s really geared toward any community member who wants to show up and learn more about safety, how to respond to active shooter events or immediate danger events,” Goodman said.
The training will cover early recognition of concerning behaviors, how to respond to disruptions, robberies and emergencies, and what to expect from law enforcement during an incident.
Security concerns amid growth in city faith communities
The training comes five months after Villages at Rancho El Dorado resident Mark Antonio Martinez threatened violence against a Maricopa mosque.
On Aug. 3, during a children’s Sunday school class, Martinez phoned Masjid Bilal Rabah Mosque on Cesar Chavez Lane in the Heritage District. During the call, he repeatedly used slurs and profanities, threatened a “crusade” against Muslims and affirmed he would be “one of the attackers.”
The training also comes as Maricopa sees growth in the number of religious buildings under construction or expansion. This includes a Jehovah’s Witnesses Kingdom Hall that recently completed construction, along with additions at Grace Community Church and Mount Moriah Church. An anonymous donor also recently gifted 3⅓ acres to Maricopa Alliance Church.
Jewish leaders in New Jersey told InMaricopa last week that they were scouting for interest and possible locations for a synagogue in Maricopa.
