Security at Stake Conferences?

[Duncan]

Our stake had a "special stake conference" earlier today with an Area Seventy chap and then Bishop Causse. I noticed that there were other brethren on the stand and I asked my stake clerk bro. about this. He said that it's because of security reasons and there were other brethren strategically placed in the building. I thought moses smell the roses, what do they think is going to happen in Canada? nobody here cares a tim horton's donut about church leaders. I get general conferences, BYU stuff and big devotional events but in Canada? Is this a "thing" in other locations so that one stake goes to the bathroom and now everyone has to wear diapers? I have never heard of a security threat at a stake conference before.

[JAHS]

We have had Apostles and the president (Hinckley) come to our stake conferences and had security men for those; usually just members of the stake who were cops or similar profession filled the assignment. None at any other stake conferences.

[BCSpace]

They're just there to document anyone wearing purple and to escort out of the building anyone found humming the following tune:

 

[sunstoned]

Quote

 

They are very important and privileged people.  Very similar to heads of state.  The GAs have handlers that take care of their day to day needs including travel.  I saw this at Reagan when Bednar was boarding plane.  He stayed in the Delta lounge and had several people to carry his luggage and make sure he he showed up in time to board with the other first class passengers.  I saw him at SLC, which was his destination.  There were additional handlers there waiting for him, including his Chauffeur.  How else would you expect apostles of Jesus Christ to be treated?

Edited May 16, 2016 by sunstoned

[Duncan]

1 hour ago, sunstoned said:

They are very important and privileged people.  Very similar to heads of state.  The GAs have handlers that take care of their day to day needs including travel.  I saw this at Reagan when Bednar was boarding plane.  He stayed in the Delta lounge and had several people to carry his luggage and make sure he he showed up in time to board with the other first class passengers.  I saw him at SLC, which was his destination.  There were additional handlers there waiting for him, including his Chauffeur.  How else would you expect apostles of Jesus Christ to be treated?

well, I also know that Elder Bednar and an area seventy got lost in Missouri and were driving around trying to find this place so they have their moments!

Edited May 16, 2016 by Duncan

[Duncan]

2 hours ago, BCSpace said:

They're just there to document anyone wearing purple and to escort out of the building anyone found humming the following tune:

 

you know I love you!!!!

[Bernard Gui]

2 hours ago, sunstoned said:

They are very important and privileged people.  Very similar to heads of state.  The GAs have handlers that take care of their day to day needs including travel.  I saw this at Reagan when Bednar was boarding plane.  He stayed in the Delta lounge and had several people to carry his luggage and make sure he he showed up in time to board with the other first class passengers.  I saw him at SLC, which was his destination.  There were additional handlers there waiting for him, including his Chauffeur.  How else would you expect apostles of Jesus Christ to be treated?

I would say that there really are people who would wish to bring them harm. I would be honored to carry the luggage for an Apostle.

[Storm Rider]

17 hours ago, sunstoned said:

They are very important and privileged people.  Very similar to heads of state.  The GAs have handlers that take care of their day to day needs including travel.  I saw this at Reagan when Bednar was boarding plane.  He stayed in the Delta lounge and had several people to carry his luggage and make sure he he showed up in time to board with the other first class passengers.  I saw him at SLC, which was his destination.  There were additional handlers there waiting for him, including his Chauffeur.  How else would you expect apostles of Jesus Christ to be treated?

Yeah, and they drive around in Rolls Royces - gold ones - with a copy of the gold plates for the hood ornament.  The whole time it plays "We Thank Thee Oh God for a Prophet" too.  Then there are these ninjas that are stored in the trunk - 12 of them.  When the prophet travels there 144,000 ninjas - but they only dress in white and never wear black.  They are all first born sons of families that live the United Order in Mexico.  

You have no idea how good these guys have it!  They even have flower girls that spread flower petals where they walk, but this is new to accommodate the women yammering for the priesthood.  When anti-Mormons come close to a General Authority the little girls automatically start singing "Praise to the Man" while throwing little pamphlets calling them to repentance.  

All in a day's work for an apostle of Jesus Christ - gotta love it. 

Edited May 16, 2016 by Storm Rider

[Storm Rider]

32 minutes ago, Duncan said:

well, I also know that Elder Bednar and an area seventy got lost in Missouri and were driving around trying to find this place so they have their moments!

Those chaffeur guys must not be very good or have a GPS.  Strange - actually bizarre.  And where were the minders and secretaries to keep things in order and running properly.  This just doesn't make sense!?!  I know, they were just doing that to spread rumors in order to make people think they are just normal old men rather than pampered mini-gods in training flying around in 1st class from SLC to Provo for a Stake Conference.  Those guys are so sly!

[Robert F. Smith]

4 hours ago, Duncan said:

Our stake had a "special stake conference" earlier today with an Area Seventy chap and then Bishop Causse. I noticed that there were other brethren on the stand and I asked my stake clerk bro. about this. He said that it's because of security reasons and there were other brethren strategically placed in the building. I thought moses smell the roses, what do they think is going to happen in Canada? nobody here cares a tim horton's donut about church leaders. I get general conferences, BYU stuff and big devotional events but in Canada? Is this a "thing" in other locations so that one stake goes to the bathroom and now everyone has to wear diapers? I have never heard of a security threat at a stake conference before.

Not everyone in the world is as rational and non-threatening as you, Duncan.  There are some very unbalanced people out there who may represent a clear and present danger to selected LDS authorities.  Church security may have received some very credible intel on such threats, and had no choice but to take precautions.  Indeed, we have already seen a number of targeted murders within the larger Restoration community beginning in the 1970s, and I suspect that we will see more.

[Robert F. Smith]

52 minutes ago, Storm Rider said:

Yeah, and they drive around in Rolls Royces - gold ones - with a copy of the gold plates for the hoot ornament.  The whole time it plays "We Thank Thee Oh God for a Prophet" too.  Then there are these ninjas that are stored in the trunk - 12 of them.  When the prophet travels there 144,000 ninjas - but they only dress in white and never wear black.  They are all first born sons of families that live the United Order in Mexico.  

You have no idea how good these guys have it!  They even have flower girls that spread flower petals where they walk, but this is new to accommodate the women yammering for the priesthood.  When anti-Mormons come close to a General Authority the little girls automatically start singing "Praise to the Man" while throwing little pamphlets calling them to repentance.  

All in a day's work for an apostle of Jesus Christ - gotta love it. 

I know that you mean this as witty satire, but it is a bit over the top even at that, don't you think?

[Storm Rider]

6 hours ago, Robert F. Smith said:

I know that you mean this as witty satire, but it is a bit over the top even at that, don't you think?

The way critics create stupidity and pawn it off as reality is over the top.  Everything I said there except for the ninjas are comparable things I have heard during my lifetime.  It is often their cousin's friend's sister who heard a stranger was an eye witness to such things. 

Satire is always over the top.  I am not excusing my comment, but confirming my agreement with your position. 

[Kenngo1969]

9 hours ago, Robert F. Smith said:

Not everyone in the world is as rational and non-threatening as you, Duncan.  ...

Duncan's rational and nonthreatening?   Whodathunk?  I have a feeling one of us knows him better than the other of us ... but I'm not saying who's who!   (Just kidding, Duncan ... you know I love you, Bro. )

[ERMD]

I have been in a stake conference when a man tried to enter the chapel through the doorway closest to the podium because he wanted to give the visiting Apostle a personal message during the meeting.  A friend of mine was sitting in the foyer near the door, noticed the man (who seemed kind of agitated), asked him if he needed any help, and the man told him his "mission" and started to open the door.  There was no Church security (this was in Texas), but there were a few off-duty law enforcement LDS members who were in the building.  One was nearby, and the guy was escorted out.

A good friend of mine who lives in our ward is an FBI agent.  He has been approached and asked to provide and organize security coverage when there is a local need for it.  There are a lot of crazy people out there.  Most of the public is not aware of them.  Cops, firefighters, EMS, and ER personnel deal with them regularly.

Some people criticize the presence of security.  Those same people will be the ones criticizing the Church and the Twelve for not being able to "foresee" an event, should one ever happen.

[stemelbow]

11 hours ago, Bernard Gui said:

I would say that there really are people who would wish to bring them harm. I would be honored to carry the luggage for an Apostle.

I think they hire people to do it.  Go apply if it brings you that much satisfaction.  I'm guessing you're too old or something, but you can try and the claim age-ism if they reject. 

I don't know what's with our area, we pull out any chance we get to claim we need self-created security.  Every conference.  Every ward meeting.  Once years ago, my wife was in Stake Primary Presidency, and after a Sunday meeting at our stake meeting a rather homeless-looking like individual approached her for a ride.  Some other lady in the stake said something about the guy wanted drugs--as it seems she was the next approached.  Next thing we knew EQs throughout the stake had new assignments to guard every building during each activity in each ward.  Setting up assignments each week in EQs was the biggest waste of time ever.  But we did it.  We are cute and reactionary, sometimes. 

Even to today we have EQs assigned for Stake conference to miss conference so we can watch each corner of the stake center property in case another homeless-looking guy comes wondering around. 

[gopher]

I think 9/11 caused many to pay more attention to security at stake conferences.  We had many members in our stake that worked at the Pentagon so we were all on edge for a while.  I would think all stakes have some sort of security plan in place for stake conference.

[ERayR]

13 hours ago, Bernard Gui said:

I would say that there really are people who would wish to bring them harm. I would be honored to carry the luggage for an Apostle.

If only I still could.

[Duncan]

12 minutes ago, ERayR said:

If only I still could.

does snakeskin hand made handbags give you a rash?

[Meadowchik]

15 hours ago, Robert F. Smith said:

Not everyone in the world is as rational and non-threatening as you, Duncan.  There are some very unbalanced people out there who may represent a clear and present danger to selected LDS authorities.  Church security may have received some very credible intel on such threats, and had no choice but to take precautions.  Indeed, we have already seen a number of targeted murders within the larger Restoration community beginning in the 1970s, and I suspect that we will see more.

A former bishop of our ward was threatened while in the stand and right then told his aggressor to bring it outside and they'd handle it right then.

The church does have to deal with all kinds of people, including the violently unstable.

[Ahab]

19 hours ago, Duncan said:

Our stake had a "special stake conference" earlier today with an Area Seventy chap and then Bishop Causse. I noticed that there were other brethren on the stand and I asked my stake clerk bro. about this. He said that it's because of security reasons and there were other brethren strategically placed in the building. I thought moses smell the roses, what do they think is going to happen in Canada? nobody here cares a tim horton's donut about church leaders. I get general conferences, BYU stuff and big devotional events but in Canada? Is this a "thing" in other locations so that one stake goes to the bathroom and now everyone has to wear diapers? I have never heard of a security threat at a stake conference before.

Was Taylor Swift in the audience? 

And Justin Bieber too?

That would explain some extra security personnel? 

How many security personnel are we talking about here???

[VideoGameJunkie]

Jesus and Peter never needed security teams.

[Ahab]

Their official calling is probably "greeter" or "usher" or something like that.

Think men in suits standing near doorways.

Nothing sinister going on here folks. 

Move along.  

Move along. 

Move along.

[Duncan]

32 minutes ago, Ahab said:

Was Taylor Swift in the audience? 

And Justin Bieber too?

That would explain some extra security personnel? 

How many security personnel are we talking about here???

I wish!!! we'll trade you Swift for Bieber! I think maybe about 4-6? with one of them on the stand

Edited May 16, 2016 by Duncan

[Teancum]

20 hours ago, Duncan said:

Our stake had a "special stake conference" earlier today with an Area Seventy chap and then Bishop Causse. I noticed that there were other brethren on the stand and I asked my stake clerk bro. about this. He said that it's because of security reasons and there were other brethren strategically placed in the building. I thought moses smell the roses, what do they think is going to happen in Canada? nobody here cares a tim horton's donut about church leaders. I get general conferences, BYU stuff and big devotional events but in Canada? Is this a "thing" in other locations so that one stake goes to the bathroom and now everyone has to wear diapers? I have never heard of a security threat at a stake conference before.

Once when I was a bishop we had President Uchdorf visiting our ward for various reasons.  The stake president was out of town and told me it was up to me to make sure it all went smooth. This was NOT announced ahead of time.  I was to have the people stand when he walked in, ask him if he wanted to speak when he arrived and came up on the stand, ask if he wanted to leave right after sacrament meeting and should I have the people stay seated till he left. Also I was to have some big strong men on hand for security and really more for crowd control.

I followed these instructions to a letter.  When he came we had everyone stand.  He came up to the rostrum area and sat down. I asked him if he wanted to speak and he said yes.  So I had the two speakers-our mission president and his wife.  I asked them to keep their remarks short.  I asked him if he wanted to meet with the members or leave right after Sacrament meeting. He said he wanted to meet and greet the people. Then he asked if I minded if he uses the Sunday School and Priesthood/RS block to meet with the youth.  Did I MIND?  Heck no!  And he did just that.  It was a rather incredible experience for me and our ward. One that I still treasure.  President Uchdorf is a wonderful man.

 

 

[Storm Rider]

59 minutes ago, VideoGameJunkie said:

Jesus and Peter never needed security teams.

Well, let's think about that for a moment.  Jesus was crucified and Peter was crucified upside down.  Hmm, me thinks you have forgotten the history and are really working hard to arrive an a poor conclusion.