Bklyn Clerics Urge Police to Shield Houses of Worship

By BRIAN MORENO

Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams and religious leaders across Brooklyn urged the Trump administration on Thursday to increase funding of counterterrorism programs the New York City Police Department SHIELD, a program that provides training and information sharing services to help combat potential terrorist threats, including attacks in houses of worships.

“This senseless violence, the only way we can meet it head on is to ensure, that not only our law enforcement agency are receiving the support and resource they need, but also everyday house of worship, receiving the necessary the support they need as well,” said Adams.

SHIELD was created to provide citizens information and training on emerging and evolving terrorist threats that may occur here. Adams and the religious leaders urged that increased focus be placed on safeguarding  houses of worships after several acts of gun violence occured in churches such as when white supremacist Dylann Roof shot nine African Americans at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in downtown Charleston and the recent attack by gunman Devin Kelley killing 26 and injuring 20 people in the First Baptist Church on Texas, the victims ranging from young children to elderly adults.

“On federal level that these are not the day to reduce funding for counter-terrorism programs, but actually to increase it,” said Bishop Hugh Nelson. “We are grateful for the NYPD SHIELD program, which helps to educated local clergy, but we want to stand with our president [Adams] and all our of elected officials and to take a stand that strengthing and increasing the security of our house of worship should be a priority.”

The violence of gun and terror attacks is spreading to schools and places of worships and bishops across the board meeting said that continued and increase funding of SHIELD is imperative, as SHIELD trains congregation for their protection, more law enforcement in communities and everything else that can be done to protect citizens.

“This program is excellent for preventing further congregational members and their spiritual leaders from losing lives and their family as well,”