Most of the churches in Myrtle Beach seem to have cops in the parking lots/entries.

Never really saw that, elsewhere.

Is it fairly common?

Not mine, but I am prepared.

Not mine but we're not exactly a target for anyone.

Larger churches around here do.

Yes, a marked car park right in front too.

I was on the security team on my (large) church in Colorado. We maintained the security, but the cops were there as another layer of deterence AND to arrest anybody who needed it.

This church had a shooting in the past, so it was very necessary.

Yes, we have a police officer at every session.

I don't attend church, but most/all of the big churches around here have uniformed LE working paid off duty gigs, in addition to a non-LE security team.

The few smaller churches I'm familiar with may not have uniformed LE, but they have armed security teams, including off duty cops who are church members.

Yes

No. There's at least one active member who is currently an LEO, but officers present, visible, and interacting with the congregants either in uniforms or civvies: no.

Not at my parish. The parish attempted to form a group of us that have concealed licenses. Official Polo shirts I disagreed with that and said incognito. I also asked the parish if the Diocese or any part of the church was going to get our back with an attorney should anything go down. They said no, we’d be on our own. That really pissed me off. You want me to risk my life for our flock, but you won’t get my back? Ok, I was still committed. Then this a hole guy they put in charge thought he was above the rest of us and changed the weekly meeting time due to what he wanted, and he was retired. I said right during rush hour during the work week is NOT the time to meet. They also talked about adding cameras to their surveillance system and were being real chintzy on anything money. I finally had enough of all the rigid things. I mean I’m giving my time, for nothing. I’m willing to put myself in harm’s way and be a Wolf, protecting the flock, without anyone getting my back in a criminal or civil proceeding but I draw the line with rigidity on my schedule. Later on, months, etc, I ran into the guy who works there who was the real head of the program. He said the rigid dude he put in charge of that rubbed everyone wrong and it all fizzled out and never happened. He then apologized for the behavior. You can’t not pay people, not get their back, then be rigid about x, y, z, not how it works.

I ultra conceal at mass with a 2” revolver and 2 speed loaders as I just don’t want to print, standing and kneeling throughout mass where my shirt could ride up a little bit. I don’t want to scare some child seeing me visibly print nor draw attention to myself. Society I don’t care but that’s not the same as people sitting you directly behind you (families) and you stand, kneel, sit, and your shirt can ride up.

Our church has a volunteer security team that consists of men posted inside and outside. They have radio communications and the tools to defend. No uniformed/marked LE presence.

I am sure there are also more than a few men in the pews with something in their pocket or waistband.

We have a few in uniform in the lobby and usually 2 running traffic at the intersection out front.
I believe there is a church security team as well, incognito, but they're definitely not noticeable that I've seen.

My dad is on the security team for their church. Fairly low-key in their case, other than a few gung-ho guys.

Yes. We used to pay for a marked car and police for each service. Now we have a retired cop leading the security team. And this is a free state so a good number of people can be expected to be armed. The difference is the security team have radios.

quote:

Originally posted by darthfuster:
Not mine, but I am prepared.

Same here, darth. There are a few of us who keep it quiet.
I casually scan the congregation with my eyes from time to time during mass.

No uniformed LEO presence. On the other hand, 30% of us carry; probably more.

quote:

Originally posted by trapper189:
No uniformed LEO presence. On the other hand, 30% of us carry; probably more.

Our pastor made a Smith & Wesson joke last week & a subtle comment about the likelihood that a decent amount present are likely 'prepared'.

I carry to church, sometimes concealed sometime open, just depending on my clothes for the day. The pastor has a pistol under his pulpit and several more members carry as well. Doors are locked at the beginning of the service, and I watch the door until it’s locked.
We’ve only had trouble one time, a drugged up woman came into the Wednesday night service and started talking loudly to herself. That’s what started our heightened security measures.

Yesterday security guard at a local Jewish school shot a guy to death. Ongoing investigation in progress.

Just me, off-duty in plainclothes in the pew. And I'm only there every other Sunday due to my work schedule. I think there are a couple of other guys who carry, but nothing organized.

There was some talk about putting together an organized team at one point, but I wasn't really in favor of it. From what I've seen, lots of people get excited about the idea of carrying a gun to church, but nobody considers that 99.9% of the problems are going to need talking skills, not shooting skills. We had one potential situation related to a bad custody situation one time, and I had people calling me wanting to show up to church with rifles and body armor. I had to put the kibosh on that, and explain to people that if the guy (who I've known for years) showed up, nobody's shooting anybody and at the most I'll probably just take him aside and have a conversation. He never even came.