Wake County Sheriff's Office hosts first Safe Faith conference in over 20 years

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- More than 200 faith leaders and community members gathered Thursday for the Wake County Sheriff's Office Safe Faith conference, marking its return for the first time since 2002.

The conference focuses on equipping faith communities with resources, information and technology to help protect their campuses and congregations.

Attendees heard from keynote speaker North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson and participated in workshops on crime prevention, safety strategies and responding to potential threats.

Wake County Sheriff's Office Major Beatty said the event centers on preparation.

"Well, our theme is 'an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,'" Maj. Beatty said. "And so, this is really what is the most about prevention, about preparing for the worst, praying for the best."

The discussion comes as concerns grow about threats targeting religious groups. According to the Anti-Defamation League, antisemitic incidents reached a record high last year. Authorities also noted a recent case in California where two teenagers opened fire at an Islamic center after sharing extremist views online.

Workshops addressed security planning, use of technology and how faith leaders can respond in dangerous situations. Beatty said leaders are especially interested in practical safety steps.

"Should we have an armed security? How should we go about keeping our people safe? What are some strategies that we can use to make the target harder?" he said.

Jackson's keynote highlighted scam risks targeting faith communities, urging leaders to clearly define how they communicate with members.

"Faith leaders need to say, 'here's how you can expect to hear from us. Here's how we will never contact you,'" Jackson said. "Just that alone would prevent a lot of scams."

Raleigh Police Chief Rico Boyce also attended, emphasizing the role houses of worship play in bringing communities together.

"That's the one place where everybody come together and get along is when they go to a place of worship," Boyce said. "So being at this conference today is an opportunity to share safety tips, but also to come together and just pray for peace in our community in Wake County."

Organizers say they plan to continue holding similar events as conversations around faith community safety evolve.