Church Security Teams - An Unfortunate Requirement

Sadly, Church Security is a trending topic these days due to tragic events happening recently in South Carolina and Texas.  People are looking for answers about why evil the occurred.  Could it have been prevented?  Others are asking what types of preventative measures can be taken.  Some recommend Law Enforcement be on campus.  Others suggest having Members carry Weapons.  There's even discussion about whether it is even appropriate for a Church to have a Security Detail. 

While there's no shortage of opinions and Monday Morning Quarterbacking, Churches have an obligation to do their part to keep the Congregation safe.  Simply speaking from a liability perspective, if something happened in your Church, some Lawyer would do their best to prove you didn't do your part in keeping the Congregation safe.  Establishing a Church Security Team is the easiest thing you can implement for your Church.  Here are some ideas on how to go about establishing the Team and the Team's first objectives.  

Speak to your Local Law Enforcement.  Do they offer affordable Uniformed Officers for Public Gatherings?  In many cases, just seeing a Uniformed Officer will de-escalate a situation.  Are their Law Enforcement Officers in your Congregation?  Enlist their help at organizing and mobilizing your newly formed Security Team.  

Seek out 6 - 10 Members for the Security Detail.  Ideally, you'll have two folks monitoring parking lots and doors, two people in the sanctuary, and 1 person inside each exit.  Outfit each Security Team Member with a way to communicate, whether it be a walkie talkie, a whistle, or an cellular phone.  The Security Team is your Eyes and Ears and need to be able to communicate should a situation arise.  

Map your Church for Emergency Routes.  Hotels have Emergency Exits posted on the inside of every hotel room.  Consider posting these MAPS in Restrooms, Stairwells, and the back of Classroom Doors.  They need not be prominent, but should be in visible locations.  

Create an Incident Action Plan and post it in the Church Office.  Knowing what you'll do in the case of an emergency saves valuable minutes in the actual event of an emergency.  Make sure you have key phone numbers, a copy of the Floor Plan, WiFi Password, and other pertinent information in the material.  You want to make it easy for First Responders to jump into action.  

Churches can't plan for a tragic incident.  Churches can make plans reduce the chances of a tragic incident from occurring and can plan for what to do should such an incident happen.  The first step is to implement a Worship Security Team.  Don't wait to get started.