Church Security

[Drang]

ISTR Dr. King was not opposed to armed self-defense.

[TC215]

My church's insurance company has guidance on security teams and publishes a manual about it. Might want to check with your church's insurer.

[ST911]

OP- I highly recommend Strategos, Intl for this topic. Attend one of their many courses if near you, or host them at your facility. They are men and women of faith, and have superbly developed courses and methodology that speaks to clergy, lay leadership, and membership equally well.

https://intruderresponse.com/courses...ining-courses/

[zuplex]

Thanks to everyone for your responses! It's very helpful.

[TGS]

Little late to the party, but....

Check with your local sheriff's office if they are hosting any seminars on such. If not, see if they have a Protective Security Advisor contact at the DHS Protective Security Coordination Division. One of DHS/PSCD services is a DHS sponsored region-based clearinghouse (though nowhere near exclusive) for training to local/state/federal LEOs and security for critical infrastructure protection. My region is co-hosting a 1-day seminar on protecting houses of worship, so I imagine others are as well.

If it's open to private security, and the church can send a representative or two, it might be a good springboard to learn what your options are, legalities, lessons learned, building contacts with other stakeholders, etc.

[PNWTO]

I would love to stand up such a thing where I am at, as there is interest. Unfortunately, since I'm Catholic, it would be a guerilla approach, since the USCCB isn't exactly "warm" to guns, and the attitude is similar in the local Diocese:

http://www.usccb.org/news/2013/13-064.cfm

In an April 8 letter, Bishop Stephen E. Blaire of Stockton, California, addressed provisions in S. 649, the Safe Communities, Safe Schools Act of 2013,including the expansion of background checks for all gun purchases and strengthening of gun trafficking provisions, which the bishops deem "a positive step in the right direction." He also urged Senators to support an assault weapons ban and limits on access to high-capacity ammunition magazines as they consider amendments to the bill.

the five priorities made by the bishops in their 2000 statement, Responsibility, Rehabilitation and Restoration: A Catholic Perspective on Crime and Criminal Justice. These were: 1. Support measures that control the sale and use of firearms, 2. Support measures that make guns safer, 3. Call for sensible regulations of handguns, 4. Support legislative efforts that seek to protect society from violence associated with easy access to deadly weapons including assault rifles, and 5. Make a serious commitment to confront the pervasive role of addiction and mental illness in crime.

[andre3k]

One of my many off-duty jobs is working security at churches. Most of the larger churches here hire officers for church security and traffic direction. Even some smaller to medium size churches have found ways to work security into their budget. My niche now seems to be working for several mega-church pastors. My primary gig now is guarding a pastor's helicopter while he gives his sermon. He didn't want the neighborhood kids running up and touching it after he landed. Imagine that.

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[Cypher]

http://www.brotherhoodmutual.com/


https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007...Life_shootings


Not sure if this is allowed but this is the company that underwrites the security team for my church. One of the services they offer is sitting down with your headship and working out a security plan that works with your church. New Life Church of Colorado Springs also helps other churches set up church security teams

[DAB]

helicopter.......there's a whole thread right there. for another forum. good grief.

[vandal]

I stood up a security team for our church (approx 2500 souls any Sunday morning spread over two services, and Sunday schools) which has endured for about six years now. Got some copies of security policy documents/models from other churches and reworked them to fit us.

I'll send more info via PM but here's a few lessons learned:


Lessons Learned/Advice:

If you want to stand up a team, call it a "Medical/Security" team. Lead with "Medical" in the name. Get everybody trained in first aid and TCCC. Offer the training to whoever in the church wants it, and maybe recruit from the group that shows up.

If you do wind up coordinating the medical team, watch out -- they don't work well with each other! EMT vs ER nurse vs Nurse... If you only have one respond to an event you're better off than if you have two.

We use small radios with secret service style coil earpieces (Surefire Comm-Ear tips are great) and separate phones (sleeve, lapel). I would not trust a cell-based solution for instant communication. Don't underestimate the amount of time spent teaching people how to route the wires, make sure the microphones are solidly plugged in, keeping the ear tips clean, staying on the right channel, communication best practices (don't pull the mic off and hold it 1" in front of your mouth)... and do a real sound check!

We also use the Slack app, and give access to greeters and ushers so those without radios can still get us messages and pictures. Medical and Security teams have their own channels in it, as well as there's a general channel that everybody sees. Very good and free tool. Only problem is there's always some bastard to cheap to upgrade from a dumb phone who wants to serve.

Don't add somebody to the team when your'e desperate to fill a service roster, who you previously wrote off for personality reasons. First instinct is usually best. Recruit people who have a "friendly greeter" outward persona, not a "suspicious security guy" mentality. Recruit people who have a vision for it, not those who are "willing if there's a need."

Don't get sucked into enforcing church policies that don't have anything to do with security. "Would you tell them they're being too loud?" No, that's the usher's job. If they yell "Allah Akbar" let me know.

Lastly, "Don't start nothin', won't BE nothin'." If you recruit somebody who sees Osama Bin Laden whenever an autistic guy walks in, every Sunday becomes a loooong day.

Our problems have been 80% with people off their meds, 10% criminals and scam artists, 5% sexual predators. More medical problems than security concerns but not night and day.

My favorite event was when one of the elderly greeters alerted me to a very disturbed looking guy sitting by himself. She was paying attention! I recruited a counselor to go talk with him, and the counselor failed to help. I walked up and introduced myself, and asked "what brings you here today?" He left to his feet and shouted angrily "I tell you what, Vandal -- I'm ready to take out a TEC-9 and start spraying bullets!"

Man I miss that guy.