Kids & Students Security Update
Ridgepoint parents,
One of the priorities of Ridgepoint Kids and Student Ministries is the safety and security of our students, kids, and team members. Over the last semester, we’ve been consulting with churches our size and evaluating our own security processes. To meet our standards of safety and security, we have concluded that we need to have an off-duty police officer present on Sunday mornings in the kids and middle school areas. Please note: to date we have had no major security issues. We have, however, experienced the reality of potential domestic disputes, family custody issues, and mental health concerns among the families we serve. While we are unlikely to have a situation escalate to physical violence, or be faced with a parent trying to forcibly take their child, we still believe it is worth having an officer present.
Questions you may have:
Why are we engaging a police officer and not creating a volunteer security team?
After researching both options, we believe a police officer is best equipped to handle emergency situations and de-escalate conflicts. We can’t foresee what emergencies may arise and we don’t want our volunteers to carry the liability of reacting to unforeseen situations. In the case of custody issues, officers are able to access legal records. The officer will also serve as our communication channel if we ever need the fire department or EMS on a Sunday morning.
When will we begin seeing a police officer in the kids/middle school area?
Sunday mornings at the beginning of April. The officer will be here on Sunday mornings during the 9:30 and 11:00 services. We have two police officers who will alternate weeks. Both have toured the church and met with staff. Both are active members of other churches in town. They are great guys, and are looking forward to meeting our families!
This decision has been after much processing by church leadership. Thank you for praying for our Kids Ministry as we navigate the safety and security needs of families.
If you have any questions, please feel free to email us:
Cynthia Young, Kids Director: cynthia@ridgepointwichita.com
Kyle Goings, Student Ministry Pastor: kyle@ridgepointwichita.com
Geoff Graves, Director of Operations: geoff@ridgepointwichita.com
Helping Families Find & Follow Jesus,
Cynthia, Kyle, & Geoff
One of the priorities of Ridgepoint Kids and Student Ministries is the safety and security of our students, kids, and team members. Over the last semester, we’ve been consulting with churches our size and evaluating our own security processes. To meet our standards of safety and security, we have concluded that we need to have an off-duty police officer present on Sunday mornings in the kids and middle school areas. Please note: to date we have had no major security issues. We have, however, experienced the reality of potential domestic disputes, family custody issues, and mental health concerns among the families we serve. While we are unlikely to have a situation escalate to physical violence, or be faced with a parent trying to forcibly take their child, we still believe it is worth having an officer present.
Questions you may have:
Why are we engaging a police officer and not creating a volunteer security team?
After researching both options, we believe a police officer is best equipped to handle emergency situations and de-escalate conflicts. We can’t foresee what emergencies may arise and we don’t want our volunteers to carry the liability of reacting to unforeseen situations. In the case of custody issues, officers are able to access legal records. The officer will also serve as our communication channel if we ever need the fire department or EMS on a Sunday morning.
When will we begin seeing a police officer in the kids/middle school area?
Sunday mornings at the beginning of April. The officer will be here on Sunday mornings during the 9:30 and 11:00 services. We have two police officers who will alternate weeks. Both have toured the church and met with staff. Both are active members of other churches in town. They are great guys, and are looking forward to meeting our families!
This decision has been after much processing by church leadership. Thank you for praying for our Kids Ministry as we navigate the safety and security needs of families.
If you have any questions, please feel free to email us:
Cynthia Young, Kids Director: cynthia@ridgepointwichita.com
Kyle Goings, Student Ministry Pastor: kyle@ridgepointwichita.com
Geoff Graves, Director of Operations: geoff@ridgepointwichita.com
Helping Families Find & Follow Jesus,
Cynthia, Kyle, & Geoff