Security Workshop for Churches Planned

Seeking to have a preventive measure in place, the Orange County Human Relations Commission is planning to organize a security workshop for churches and community organizations that are potential targets for hate crimes.

Similar actions are taking place across the nation in the wake of more than 70 fires of suspicious origin at church properties, many belonging to black congregations, in Southern states this year.

The commission wants to “try and make sure that there is a local institution” to prevent similar occurrences in Orange County, Rusty Kennedy, director of the commission, said Thursday.

The commission has approached the Anti-Defamation League, which runs a program providing building security for churches and synagogues. The commission and the league hope to come up with security guidelines for interested parties.

“We want to have training for churches and organizations to help them protect themselves or at least reduce their vulnerabilities from attacks of hate crimes,” Kennedy said.

The commission’s effort stemmed from a community diversity forum on the church burnings led by Shepherd of the Hills United Methodist Church in Mission Viejo.

“We wanted to respond to the devastation of our churches,” the Rev. Julius E. Del Pino said of the June 30 forum. “Taking a proactive stand is the only viable, realistic way to approach this problem.”

The forum and the proposal for a security workshop, said Del Pino, send “a signal that residents and people who live and work in Orange County take seriously the destruction of our religious centers.”

Joining the effort is the Orange County Congregation Community Organizations, part of a national grass-root community action group that will have a national prayer service next Wednesday at Immaculate Heart Church in Santa Ana. Organizers said they expect 500 people from eight denominations to participate in a collective effort to protest the burnings.