BALDWIN COUNTY, Ga. — There are dozens of churches in Baldwin County.
Most have empty parking lots during the week, but come Sunday morning, you’ll find a new kind of car parked outside some of them.
On Wednesday, Baldwin County Sheriff Bill Massee announced via Facebook that he’s authorizing sworn personnel to drive their marked patrol cars to their places of worship.
Several other Central Georgia Sheriff’s Offices did the same, including Laurens, Hancock, and Washington counties.
Lara Swicord attends Northridge Christian Church in Milledgeville. She’s also a Baldwin County Sheriff’s Deputy.
"I've been a member here for about six years," says Swicord. "When they pull up in the parking lot and see the patrol car, it’s like a sigh of relief to a lot of people.”
Adam Scott is a pastor at Northridge, and he says they already employ Baldwin deputies for security, but he calls Massee’s initiative a “plus” for his congregation and others across Baldwin County.
"Anything we can do to keep people safe is a win for all the churches and a win for people as well," says Scott. "We want churches to be a safe place, and we go through extreme measures to make that happen. We know the sheriff’s department is working with us to try to make that happen as well. This is just a step towards making that more possible for all the churches.”
Though Swicord may not be in uniform on the day of rest, she says she’ll still be working to serve her community.
"To be able to come and drive your patrol car and carry concealed, and still have that presence and the vehicles being a deterrent in the parking lot for the community—I think it’s positive," says Swicord.
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