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Press Release

Law Enforcement Agencies To Hold Houses of Worship Interfaith Security Summit

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of Michigan
Following the tragic shooting at Emanuel A.M.E Church in Charleston, South Carolina, last month, the U.S. Attorney’s Office is hosting a training summit to share best practices for security at houses of worship. The summit will take place on Monday, July 27, 2015, from noon to 4:00 p.m. at the Spencer M. Partrich Auditorium at Wayne State University Law School. “Places of worship often define themselves by being open and welcoming to all people, but we want to make sure that faith communities have the information they need to keep everyone who walks through their doors as safe as possible.” The summit will focus on providing faith-based leaders with information that will help them develop and implement security programs and emergency action plans, deter threats, share information and address risks, such as active shooter situations. Hate crime trends and prosecutions will also be discussed. Speakers include U.S. Attorney Barbara L. McQuade, Al Shenouda, Protective Security Advisor, Department of Homeland Security, FBI Special Agent in Charge Paul Abbate, Dearborn Police Chief Ron Haddad and Commander Todd Bettison, Detroit Police Department. The event is being co-hosted the FBI, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Department of Justice’s Community Relations Service, the Detroit Police Department, the Wayne State University Police Department and the Anti-Defamation League. Leaders from all faith-based communities are encouraged to attend. For more information and/or to reserve a seat at the summit, please contact Robert Poikey, Law Enforcement Coordinator, U.S. Attorney’s Office at (313) 226-9120 or email at robert.poikey@usdoj.gov.
Updated July 16, 2015