Charlottesville, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – The Albemarle County and Charlottesville Police Departments are teaming up to bring back the “Safe Worship” event on May 16th, a full-day safety training designed for local faith-based organizations. Taking place from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at First Baptist Church on Park Street, the free event aims to equip houses of worship with the tools they need to improve safety, security, and preparedness. “This is a free, full-day safety training event for our local faith community,” said Logan Bogert, Public Information Officer for the Albemarle County Police Department. 

The training will cover a wide range of topics, including mental health awareness, child protection practices, fire safety, risk assessments, and forming safety teams. A special presentation from the FBI will focus on targeted threats to houses of worship, which are considered soft targets by the Department of Homeland Security. “They can be very vulnerable to threats including violence, arson, and vandalism,” said Bogert, emphasizing the importance of preparation without creating fear in the community. 

Registration is open through May 13 at albemarle.org/police, with participation limited to three representatives per house of worship to accommodate space. With nearly half of the 100 spots already filled, churches from across Virginia have signed up. “We’re hearing over and over that they really wanted to have some kind of training for their churches… This is definitely coming back bigger and better,” Bogart said. The event is open to all denominations and offers a valuable networking opportunity for faith leaders statewide. 

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