Fearful CBS on Church Police Force: Why Can’t They Just Call 911?

[See NewsBusters for more.] CBS This Morning on Tuesday did the bidding of the ACLU and expressed concern over an Alabama mega church lobbying to have its own police force. Showing a clueless attitude in the wake of the 2015 Charleston church shooting, reporter David Begnaud asked Greg Garrison of AL.com: “Why can't they just rely on 911 and call for help if they need it?” The journalist glossed over this quickly, noting, “In a statement, Briarwood [Presbyterian] pointed to recent mass shootings at churches.” Begnaud added, “Why can't the church just hire off duty officers or sheriff deputies in the area?” Unsurprisingly, the journalist turned to the ACLU to explain the problem: “It's a problem because it violates the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. This takes what is a core governmental power—  the police power —  and vests it in the hands of a religious organization as a church.”