Ever since Ferguson erupted, Rev. Traci Blackmon, pastor of Christ the King Church of Christ in Florissant, has received her share of hate mail and threats for her leadership role in the Black Lives Matter movement.
However, she never thought to increase security at the church – until a white supremacist shot and killed nine people inside the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church in Charleston, South Carolina on June 17.
“Image is important in the church, and I’ve never wanted the imagery of that invasion in sacred space,” said Blackmon, who was ordained in the AME church.
But since Charleston, she said she’s realized that it’s not only she who could be the target of a hate crime, but also her congregation.
“I’m traveling a lot, and I can think nothing more horrendous than something happening to someone because of the work that I’m doing,” she said.
Many black churches throughout the region now have a “heightened sense of awareness,” said Presiding Elder Rev. Edmund Lowe Sr., of the St. Louis Cape Girardeau District of the Missouri Conference of the AME Church.
In the Missouri Conference, Lowe said he has done some preliminary checks with all the pastors and made sure they felt comfortable with their security measures.
“We’ve also talked with several contractors to come out and do security inventories of the church,” Lowe said, “and where needed and where feasible, we’re going to put up cameras and video recorders around the churches.”
Rev. Anthony Witherspoon, pastor of Washington Metropolitan AME Zion Church (just north of Grand Center), said they are “beefing up security throughout the church and externally.”
He said they are now placing officers at various points within and outside of the church and installing real-time security cameras and monitors, both inside and out.
The church has never experienced any kind of hate crime previously, he said, but they are also looking to deepen their relationship with law enforcement.
Some area police departments have been proactive in contacting AME churches, Lowe said.
St. Louis County and the City of Wentzville police have asked if they need help, Lowe said.
“I’ve had several calls asking what type of help do we need,” Lowe said, “so they’ve been responsive – not overly, but they’ve extended themselves to us.”
Blackmon said the St. Louis County Police Department’s North County Precinct has always been responsive whenever the church calls.
Churches are also talking about what they can do from within. Lowe said the “best thing” is that most of their churches have either retired or active policemen in their congregation. They now plan to offer security and protection training to members.
The St. Paul AME congregation practices active vigilance, said James Chester, a retired lieutenant colonel in the Kinloch Police Department who works as head of security at St. Paul.
“Security is basically everyone,” Chester said of the church near Skinker Parkway and Page Boulevard. “We’re observant and aware of people.”
Pointing toward a fellow female church member, Chester said that a threat could look non-alarming and therefore, church members should also be attentive of people’s “spirit.”
St. Paul AME currently has licensed security officers working detail during services.
“It behooves me to say to all pastors and congregations to be vigilant, protect your church and secure it,” said Rev. Spencer Booker of St. Paul. “But it also behooves me to ask the community to stop the killing. Stop the hatred. Stop the profiling. It must stop.”
