The Oceana County Sheriff’s Office (OCSO) is hosting its first-ever Church Safety Conference Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026, from 8 a.m. to noon at Grace Adventures in Silver Lake.
The OCSO is excited to offer this conference locally because they believe there is a genuine need for this type of information in this community. Their goal is to partner with local churches by providing practical, meaningful information and resources that church leaders and security teams can take back and put into practice.
This country has experienced a number of tragic events involving places of worship and other public gatherings. The OCSO believes the citizens and visitors of Oceana County should be able to attend worship services and other religious activities safely and confidently. Oceana churches are an important part of this community, and the OCSO wants to help them prepare for and respond to potential emergencies.
The four-hour conference will cover a variety of topics, including:
• Church security teams and security planning
• ALICE and active-threat response
• Stop the Bleed and emergency medical response
• Michigan CPL laws and considerations
• Communications
• Access control and physical security
• Other practical safety and security topics
The conference will be packed with information designed to provide churches with practical tools and resources they can use immediately.
The OCSO encourages churches throughout Oceana County to attend and take advantage of this opportunity to learn, ask questions, and connect with others who are working to improve safety within their congregations.
Several vendors will also be on site to showcase products, services and solutions that may be beneficial to churches as they evaluate their security and emergency preparedness needs. There is no substitute for preparation. The OCSO looks forward to partnering with local churches to help make Oceana County a safer place for everyone.
