Crime, Law and Justice

Church can start its own police force, Alabama Senate says
Police officers hired by Briarwood Presbyterian would need to be certified; they would also have the same powers other law enforcement officers have. The bill now heads to the state House.
Melania Trump and the Daily Mail settle libel lawsuits
The Mail will pay a reported $2.9 million, far less than the $150 million that the first lady had sought. The lawsuits concerned an article that made false claims about Melania's time as a model.
The estranged stepfather of a Wisconsin man suspected of stealing guns and threatening attacks in an anti-government manifesto sent to the White House on Tuesday urged the fugitive to surrender.
Child abuse reports jump dramatically in Minnesota
Nearly 40,000 children were suspected of being abused or neglected in 2016, 25 percent more than 2015, state officials said Tuesday in a worrisome report that also noted a huge jump in maltreatment investigations.