Deciding the type, duties and size of the security team can be an imposing task. This is part of the reason a security assessment is needed when your church decides to investigate implementation of a team to provide safety and security services to the church family. The type of safety or security team you put into place is determined by a number of issues. One of these is based on the size of the church and how many people attend?
Lt. Colonel Dave Grossman is the leading thinker in matters of unexplained violence. He is the author of two excellent resources On Killing and On Combat. He is a world renowned speaker and trainer for military and law enforcement personnel who are involved in combat operations throughout the world.
In this video interview, Lt. Col Dave Grossman’s intended audience is law enforcement, but he gives a great insight into the mindset of those who would protect other people.
I had the opportunity to meet Dave at a few of the training events I have been privileged to attend. He is a Christian brother, an insightful man, and very intelligent. Enjoy the video.
Fear is a natural human emotion, but can lead us to a path of disaster if we let it. Remember Y2K? People everywhere, many of them Christians, were freaking out that the world was going to end. It didn’t!
Fear grips the heart, makes us irrational, and sends us searching for solutions to our perceived problems. Fear also makes problems appear larger than they are, and aids in making the wrong decisions.
In Knoxville, Tennessee, a church shooting gained national headlines. Experts made predictions, news anchors spoke in rushed voices, and facts about the case were speculated upon. The normal, everyday, 24 hour news cycle we have become accustomed to and expect sowed fear in our hearts. After all, another church shooting has happened and a raving lunatic killed people-church going people like us.
It leaves us feeling empty, and, well, afraid.
I wondered how many people carried guns to church today out of fear. It feels funny even typing that-carried guns to church.
The first thing we all need to do is to take a deep breath in, relax a minute, and then breath out.
When a child is abducted, there is usually an expert being interviewed that makes this statement, “Child abduction is so rare that it probably won’t happen to your family.” It is an attempt to make everyone feel better, but it really doesn’t help much because now we believe it could happen to us.
It certainly doesn’t feel good to the family of the missing child because it did happen to them. The rest of the parents throughout the country scramble to teach their children about safety, but as time goes on, and the fear subsides, we go back to our normal lives.
I write this to say this…the chance of a gunman walking into your church in the United States and shooting people is very slim. Could it happen? Yes. Is it likely? No. So what should our response be?
What should our church do to protect itself? Should we have some of our members carry guns or other weapons?
My answer: No.
Let me qualify my answer.
The issue of carrying weapons is so big, and there are many moral, legal, and liability issues your church should consider way before the thought of arming a security team should be considered.
Really, do you want someone carrying a weapon in your church that hasn’t repeatedly trained with the weapon?
I am not talking about going to the range and plinking targets, that is not training. It is target practice. My experience has been that many people who “know how to shoot” don’t really know how to shoot.
When the target begins shooting back, the person responsible for carrying a firearm needs to know tactics, needs to know how to shoot accurately, and needs to understand the trauma they will face when they have to shoot another human being.
Standing on a gun range and asking someone who has had a gun for 25 years and he tells you that he “knows how to shoot” should not look at you with a confused looked on his face when you ask him to ready his weapon for firing. Yet, this happens all the time. As a trainer, it has happened to me.
Is this everybody? Absolutely not. There are many, many, many civilian CCW holders that take firearms training very seriously, even more seriously than many police officers. They are combat ready and know how to proficiently use their weapon. CCW training does not qualify someone to be a combat shooter, it is a starting place for self protection.
Consider this…a police officer’s accuracy rate in a combat situation is about 25%! These are men and women who depend on their skills to save lives, often their own. They supposedly practice often, and have to qualify a few times a year, and even they do not hit their targets as often as they should.
Allowing someone to carry a firearm or any other weapons system on church premises should require the church to examine the person’s qualifications, certification level, practice time, tactical training, and understanding of defensive force. The person should also understand the traumatic results that can occur from having to take a life, or misusing the weapon.
The misapplication of force can be devastating for everyone involved and should never be taken lightly.
I have also been asked whether a church should issue weapons to the security team.
Issuing weapons to a security team is not advisable. If this is done, it should be documented, planned for, practiced, and trained by a certified trainer. Many states do not regulate church security teams, but this issue will be visited by the court if and when force is applied.
The bottom line is a security team is not a private police force. They do not have the lawful duty to act, and in many states, the ability to detain anyone. If force is used, any prosecutor would examine the case in light of whether the application of force was reasonable, the totality of the circumstances, and whether your actions were defensive in nature.
In essence, like a police officer, your actions would be judged by a group of people who were not there.
If attempting to increase church security, after determining the skill level and qualification of the team member, weapons should only be carried by a small number of individuals, should have church approval, and the church should make the local law enforcement agency aware of your security plans.
The best place to start for every church is in the planning. Who should do what? What areas are you vulnerable? Have you documented what you plan to do? Is there anyone in your church membership who has the requisite skill level to assist?
The bottom line is allowing weapons in church is a serious decision and should not be taken lightly. Many states allow citizens to carry weapons concealed after taking a course, however, this is not enough to make them a good candidate for carrying a weapon in a church security setting.
Remember, breath in, relax and breath out. Plan for church security, assess the threats, and document the safety plans first before leaping to any decisions about weapons. Make sure you are following all state laws, train like your life depends on it, and hope it never happens.
I received your kit a couple weeks ago. OUTSTANDING!!!!!!!!! Without going into too many details, I will just tell you that it saved me weeks of work. You thought of things that I never would have considered and put it all at my finger tips.
Thanks for your guidance and support.
Troy C.
Time is so important, so why spend it writing a new policy and procedure manual? You can spend time researching, planning, and wondering if your plans will succeed…but why do that when we have already done the work for you?
You don’t want to spend time reinventing the wheel.
The importance of having your church’s policy and procedures in place BEFORE an incident happens is too critical. Knowing who is going to handle each responsibility, how it is going to be done, and documenting exactly how it was handled is expected in our litigious society.
How does your church assess threats? How would your fellowship respond to a bomb threat? How can your security and safety team care for the body with an appropriate medical response? What if a tornado occurs during a worship service? How should the team respond? Or worse, what if a church shooting occurs, do you have a plan in place?
Failing to have a plan in place can be disastrous for your church. Contingency planning, training, and documentation are essential for reducing church liability and really protecting your congregation.
That is why the Church Security Alliance created the start up kit. The CD-ROM contains sixteen practical forms, presentations, and documents your church needs to do the job right.
Simply place the CD in your computer’s disc drive, navigate to the form, manual or presentation you need, PLACE YOUR CHURCH LOGO or NAME in the appropriate place, and you have an instant document.
Recognizing each church has specific concerns, you simply adjust the policies and procedures to meet your specific needs, desires, and state laws – saving precious time and energy (less time in meetings and more time with your family).
Here is what you get when you purchase the start up CD:
• Security Team Manual V2.2
• Team Startup Presentation
• Church Management Presentation
• Security Team Planning and Setup
• Safety and Security Team Ministry Volunteer Request
• How to Interview Prospect Team Candidates
• Church Risk Assessment
• Building Security Review Sheet
• Security Team Application
• Sample Medical Response Plan
• Incident Report Log
• Medical Team Incident Report
• Bomb Threat Information Sheet
• Bomb Threat or Suspicious Package Procedure
• CCW in Church
• Use of Force Chart
When you purchase CSA’s start up kit, you have full access and permission to change the documents for your church and team members.
Purchase Your Easy Church Security Manual Here.
For a limited time, anyone purchasing the CSA Church Security Start Up CD will receive the CSA Member rate of only $89.99.
When you order, we will immediately ship one CD containing 16 different church security and church safety ministry manuals, forms, and procedures that you can easily make your own. Simply place the CD into your drive, open up the files and place your church’s name or logo in the proper locations and begin training your team in the policies and procedures found on the CD or use the forms and manual as a sample for your own church security policy and procedures.
Click on the Add to Cart button below and you will be taken to an order page where you can order the CD-ROM through Paypal. You do not need a Paypal account to order this product. You may pay with Mastercard, Visa, or Discover. Easily follow the directions on the order page, securely submit your order, and we will send you your CD. Shipping and handling of $6 will be included, as well as a 7% Ohio sales tax. You will receive a receipt via email.
For a limited time, buy both the How to Start A Church Security Manual and the Easy Start Up Manual and save $10.00 The total price for both products is normally $135.98, but for a limited time you can order both products for $125.98 (plus tax, shipping and handling). Simply click on the Add to Cart and we will ship both information products to you by United States Postal Service. If you are just starting out, this is a great way to get going in a hurry and save a ton of time. We have done all the work for you, and this is the most comprehensive guide and start up CD available.
Order the combination pack and save $10.00
KNOXVILLE, Tennessee- A shotgun-wielding man opened fire at a Unitarian church during a children’s play Sunday morning, killing two adults and wounding seven others before being overpowered by congregants, officials said.
Jim Adkisson, 58, was charged with first-degree murder after Sunday’s shooting at the Knoxville church.
One of the victims, Linda Kraeger, 61, died at a hospital several hours after the shooting at the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church, Knoxville municipal spokesman Randall Kenner said.
Also killed was Greg McKendry, a 60-year-old usher and board member at the church, police said earlier in the day.
A suspect, Jim Adkisson, 58, of Powell, Tennessee, was charged with one count of first-degree murder, Kenner said Sunday evening. Video Watch scene at church after shooting »
Adkisson is not believed to have been a member of the Knoxville church, and investigators have not determined a motive for the shooting, Knoxville Police Chief Sterling Owen told reporters.
“[The motive] is one thing we’re obviously aggressively pursuing,” Owen said.
Five others were hospitalized in either critical or serious condition, police said. iReport.com: Are you there? Share photos, video, accounts
Two other people hurt in the attack were treated and released, Owen said.
Church member Barbara Kemper told The Associated Press that McKendry “stood in the front of the gunman and took the blast to protect the rest of us.”
Owen told reporters he couldn’t comment on whether McKendry confronted the gunman, but he said McKendry apparently “was the first person [the gunman] encountered” in the sanctuary.
Members of the church said a man entered the building at about 10:15 a.m. and began shooting during a children’s production of the musical “Annie.” About 200 people in the church were watching the production, which was being put on by 25 children, the AP reported.
No child was shot, and a few church members subdued the man and held him until officers arrived, police said. Church members said one of the tacklers was John Bohstedt, a man who had a part in the musical, the AP reported.
“This was a day the church was looking forward to for a long time, and it turned into a nightmare,” Bohstedt told Knoxville television station WBIR.
Ken Kitts said he arrived late and saw a couple and a child running out of the church at “super-fast speed.”
“Then everybody else started pouring out of the church, lots of them in costume from this show they were putting on,” he said.
Inside, he said, was a scene of “absolute chaos,” including wounded people and the gunman, who was pinned to the floor by church members.
“He was face-down in the middle of a bunch of shotgun shells rolling around on the floor,” Kitts said.
Owen said investigators are looking into whether Adkisson has a criminal history. Bail was set at $1 million late Sunday.
“We don’t know this particular individual. We may never know why,” said Steve Drevik, a church member who arrived after the shooting. “All of this will come out in the next couple of days.”
Rick Lambert, the FBI agent in charge of the bureau’s Knoxville office, said federal agents are assisting Knoxville police with witness interviews and could help analyze evidence from the crime scene. He said the bureau is examining whether the attack was a hate crime.
“Anytime there is a shooting in a church, there is the possibility it could be a hate crime,” he said.
The church, on its Web site, describes itself as a community that has worked for social change — including desegregation, women’s rights and gay rights — since the 1950s.
Police said people were recording videos of the children’s performance when the shooting happened, and investigators were reviewing the videos. Information on what, if anything, the videos show of the shooting wasn’t immediately available.
The church’s minister, Chris Buice, said he was on vacation when the shooting happened but rushed back when he heard what occurred. Sunday afternoon — after McKendry’s death but before Kraeger’s — he spoke briefly to reporters.
“Please pray for this congregation, because we are grieving the loss of a wonderful man,” Buice said as he choked back tears.
Sunday’s attack was the fourth time in 15 months that an American church became a scene of a fatal shooting.
In December 2007, a 24-year-old former missionary candidate killed two people at a suburban Denver, Colorado, missionary training center and two more at a Colorado Springs megachurch the following day. The gunman, Matthew Murray, killed himself after being shot by a security guard.
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The previous August, police said, 52-year-old Eiken Saimon shot and killed three people and wounded five others at a Congregational church in Neosho, Missouri. The attack left three people dead and five wounded.
And that May, in Moscow, Idaho, 36-year-old Jason Hamilton fatally shot a police officer and a sexton at First Presbyterian Church, then killed himself before police stormed the building. Hamilton’s wife was found shot to death in the bedroom of their Moscow home after the church shootings.
Understanding your legal requirements in your state.
July 2008
One of the concerns that many churches have when they look at establishing a Safety or Security Team is what are they legally permitted to do? Putting aside the well known separation of church and state limitations that exist, we all know that churches are required to follow both state and federal guidelines on many issues such as fire codes, employment regulations, food preparation standards, etc. When we look at the legal requirements, trying to understand what regulations apply to a church security team can be a very taxing experience.
Adding to the situation is the fact that the laws and regulations in two neighboring states can be vastly different. Some states have minimal regulations while others are very extensive. In some states a church team must be a “Safety Team” not a “Security Team”. Finally, being “paid” verses “volunteer” can also determine what regulation you operate under. To help understand the process that your church will need to embark on, I reviewed the regulations for private security for Ohio. The journey to try to understand the regulations for our state lead me to contact the Ohio Department of Public Safety as detailed below.
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The Guardian Call was written by Stephen Paulson, an Associate Pastor of Greater Grace Church in Portland, OR and provides one of the best insights into why some are called to be a protector of others, be it children, the elderly, weak, oppressed or just our fellow church family members. Please read the following and let your heart be touched. For his Name. Jack
The Guardian Call
by Stephen Paulson
How is it that catastrophic mass murder has suddenly become a regular part of American life? I had just returned home from an early church service on December 9 to find the breaking news headline about a shooting at Youth With A Mission (YWAM) in Arvada, CO. Read More…
Here is an interesting article we found from The Des Moines Register. It has a very nice summary of why churches are starting security teams.
By SHIRLEY RAGSDALE REGISTER RELIGION EDITOR October 30, 2005 Churches have long been considered safe havens from the evil of the outside world. No more. Across Iowa and the nation, churches increasingly are taking precautions to protect members by:
Congregations face walking a fine line in fulfilling their mission to lead sinners to salvation while keeping members – especially children – safe. Churches today must be “wise as a serpent and innocent as a dove,” said Lori Jones , church administrator for Christ United Methodist Church in Davenport. Read More…
One of the first critical items in church safety and security is to walk around your property and the building and decide where you are and what you need to do to reduce your liability and decrease the attractiveness of your church as a place to take advantage of. We have put together the “Building Security Review Sheet” to give you an idea of what to look for. Even if you are not an seasoned security professional, the items on this list will start you on the path to understanding what can be done to make it a little harder for the burglar, thief or sexual predator to take advantage of the church. This list includes a number of items sent to me as well as the items that I personally use when evaluating a facility. Adobe Reader is required. Read More…
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