DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office Announces Church Security Training Program
FORT PAYNE — DeKalb County Sheriff Nick Welden has announced an upcoming Church Security Training Program aimed at helping churches proactively protect their congregations, facilities, and faith communities.
The training will be led by Captain Nathaniel Bates of the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office, who brings 16 years of law enforcement experience and extensive advanced training. Captain Bates previously served as Deputy Commander of the Narcotics and Criminal Interdiction Unit, where he specialized in surveillance operations, intelligence gathering, and covert enforcement activities. His background includes proactive criminal interdiction, threat identification, and operational planning in high-risk environments—experience officials say directly translates to safeguarding places of worship.
Captain Bates is an FBI-certified Firearms Instructor, as well as an Advanced SWAT and Hostage Rescue Instructor, with years of experience in tactical operations, protective security details, and leadership roles in high-risk situations.
Assisting with the training will be Sergeant Nick Turner, who has 14 years of law enforcement experience. Sgt. Turner is also an FBI-certified Firearms Instructor and an Advanced SWAT and Hostage Rescue Instructor. In addition, he specializes in school protection and security consulting for educational facilities.
Both Captain Bates and Sgt. Turner currently serve as Team Leaders on the DeKalb County Special Response Team, bringing real-world tactical leadership, operational experience, and advanced training standards to the church security initiative.
The course is specifically designed for church leadership, security teams, and volunteers seeking professional-level guidance on protecting places of worship. Training topics will include threat assessments, development of church-specific security plans, and effective surveillance and camera system setups to improve early detection and deterrence.
Participants will also take part in practical, scenario-based training using non-lethal training ammunition. These exercises are intended to safely simulate realistic, high-stress situations and reinforce communication, movement, coordination, and response strategies within a church environment.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, the program emphasizes prevention, preparedness, and coordinated response through real-world application and proven best practices used by law enforcement and protective security teams.
“Church safety is a shared responsibility, and this training represents a proactive step toward protecting families, children, and faith communities,” officials said.
Sheriff Welden emphasized the program’s preventative focus, stating, “Our goal is to help churches prepare, not panic. This training will give churches the tools to protect their loved ones while preserving the welcoming and peaceful nature of worship.”
Churches interested in additional information or in scheduling a training session are encouraged to contact the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office at 256-845-3801.
“God bless,” Sheriff Welden concluded.
