Safe Faith Conference in North Carolina Focuses on House of Worship Security and Community Safety

Hosted by the Wake County Sheriff’s Office on June 25, 2026, the Safe Faith Conference brought together religious leaders from across Wake County to discuss the safety and security of houses of worship and faith communities.

[Reported by Xie Weixiang, North Carolina, USA] The Wake County Sheriff’s Office hosted the Safe Faith Conference on June 25, 2026, marking the event’s return for the first time since 2002. Religious leaders from across Wake County gathered to discuss safety concerns affecting houses of worship and faith communities.

North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson delivers the keynote address at the Safe Faith Conference.

The conference featured North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson as the keynote speaker. A series of presentations and workshops addressed topics including hate crime prevention, responses to violent incidents, crime prevention strategies, and security management for religious institutions.

Organizers emphasized that faith communities serve as vital pillars of society, playing an important role in fostering community harmony and helping prevent crime and violence. Strengthening security measures at places of worship, they noted, is essential to protecting both congregations and the broader community.

Fo Guang Shan Buddhist Temple, North Carolina, a member of the Interfaith Community Ambassadors Responsive Engagement (I-CARE) initiative, was invited to participate in the conference. Venerable Miao Jou, Superintendent of Fo Guang Shan Buddhist Temple North Carolina, and Gee Chia, president of the Buddha’s Light International Association (BLIA) North Carolina Chapter, attended on behalf of the temple and association.

Gee Chia shared that the conference reinforced the importance of safety and security within religious organizations and highlighted the need to establish comprehensive safety policies. She noted that the case studies and emergency response strategies presented during the event provided valuable insights into preventing hate crimes, responding to critical incidents, and building effective partnerships with law enforcement agencies.

She emphasized that ongoing education, regular emergency drills, and close collaboration among volunteer teams are essential to ensuring the safety of devotees, volunteers, and temple facilities during emergencies.