The Need for Intelligence Gathering

As amazing as it might seem, your church security team has a critical need for intelligence gathering. Why do you need to receive intelligence? To give you the ability to prevent or minimize a critical incident! A majority of the incidents that have occurred in the past 10 years have had telltale indicators of a problem that became a violent incident.

After analyzing two of the critical church incidents we had in November, it is apparent that intelligence is needed to warn the church security team when conditions exist that may lead to a violent encounter! In both cases there were major indicators that a violent encounter could happen. Let’s review these two incidents.

Incident 1 – Church Shooting – Two Dead and One Wounded

This shooting at Clifton, New Jersey, on November 23^rd was the result of a confrontation between a husband and wife who had been separated for three months.

Joseph M. Pallipurath of Sacramento, Calif. killed his estranged wife, Reshma James and bystander John Dennis, inside St. Thomas Syrian Orthodox Knanaya Church. James cousin, Silvy Perincheril was also wounded at the same time. About 200 people were attending services inside the church when the gunman opened fire. This church ministers to immigrant Christian families from the southern Indian state of Kerala.

The following has been discovered about the attacker and his wife:

• The couple had been having serious problems and James had left her husband.
• James aunt had advised that her husband had behavior problems before she had married him.
• James had taken out a restraining order against her husband.
• The husband, Pallipurath traveled from California to the east coast in October to be closer to his wife’s location.

Incident 2 – Assailant Killed While Trying to Attack Church Members – Los Angeles, CA

On November 23^rd, an Oregon man, Mario Majorski, was fatally shot as he wielded a pair of samurai swords and attempted to attack guests at a Scientology Church in California. He was a former follower of the church and after leaving had made at least a dozen threats in the past.

Majorski, described as being in his 40s, approached the three guards Sunday in the parking lot of the Scientology Celebrity Center and was shot and killed after threatening the security guards. He was “close enough to hurt them” when one of the guards shot him, Police said, and after questioning the guards and looking at surveillance tape and decided the shooting was justified.

The following information is has been reported about the attacker.

• Majorski had threatened the church in a string of incidents dating to at least 2005 that were reported to the Los Angeles Police Department, the FBI and Oregon authorities, said Scientology spokesman Tommy Davis. The threats were allegedly made through faxes and telephone calls.
• Public records show Majorski was born in Los Angeles County and was associated with a string of addresses here and in Oregon, most recently living in Florence, Ore.
• He filed for bankruptcy in 2000.

Florence police reports describe odd and threatening behavior weeks before Majorski showed up in Los Angeles.

• On Oct. 26, Majorski called AAA after running out of gas on the same road where he lived. The AAA driver, Doug Bushwar, told police he noticed there “were many small kids toys lined up in a row on the street behind the guy’s truck,” according to the police report. When Bushwar approached, Majorski allegedly yelled at him to stay away and threatened him with an ax. He later threatened to shoot approaching police officers before running to his house, claiming there were hostages and explosives inside, according to the police report. The two officers later arrested Majorski and found no hostages or explosives.
• On Nov. 2, Majorski disrupted a Mormon Church service in Florence by “cursing and moving around a lot,” Florence police spokeswoman Sarah Huff said. Police arrested him outside the church on charges of disorderly conduct and criminal trespass.
• Other Oregon arrest reports show Majorski was arrested for criminal trespass by the Eugene Police Department in May 2007, and the next month the Lane County Sheriff’s Department arrested him for unlawful use of a weapon.

Why Intelligence Gathering is needed!

In examining both of these critical incidents, it becomes apparent that advance knowledge of the background information of each of these church members could put the security teams at an advantage. While we might not be able to prevent the situation, we can be prepared to handle it. This is also true of many other critical incidents in the past.

Church management needs to understand that any information of a threat, suspicious activity, disagreements or potential family conflicts must be conveyed to the leader of the security team. This material should be in the originals in the case of written or emailed threats. Any threats must be reported to the local law enforcement authorities. These may be the indications that the potential for a violent incident is present.

Some of the situations that can lead to a violent incident include;

• Church members that have strong disagreements with church policy or staff members.
• Former members that have hard feelings towards the church.
• Spouses involved in a marital dispute, separation or divorce.
• Spouses involved in custodial disputes.
• Children of teens who feel discriminated against.
• Staff members with strong disagreements.
• Member or staff with romantic feelings towards a minister.
• Non-members or former members who disagree with the churches policies and stances.
• Extremists or terrorists who hate Christianity or church policies.

Sources for Intelligence

There are a number of sources of pre-attack indicators. Some of these include:

1. Information about troubled or strained marriages.

2. Information from class teachers about troubled relationships between teens or singles.

3. Local Sexual Predator Lists.

4. Existing court orders for restraining orders, custodial orders, etc.

5. Church office staff and incoming calls, letters and emails.

6. Warnings from family members

7. Internet searches involving the church or ministers name.

Internet Example – In my past I was involved with a church that had a major internal disagreement that ended with the church splitting into two different groups. The split involved the ministers, staff and congregation with portions of each the groups taking opposing sides on the issue. There were extreme emotions and even hateful comments made on an internet blog. This included threats to disrupt the services and attempts to cause personal and professional embarrassment to ministers and staff of one of the churches. This was a site that I monitored very closely until the hard feeling finally abated after several months. This split and the high keyed emotions that resulted from it could have easily led to a violent encounter that could have resulted in a shooting incident. We were fortunate that it did not move to that point, but the staff was fully prepared to act if an incident did occur.

Understanding the need for intelligence.

The management and church members need to advise the leader of the church security team whenever there is a threat or circumstance that might provide for a potential violent confrontation. Items and events such as disputed divorces, marital issues, restraining orders, child custody agreements; and verbal or written threats must be reported to security. Security then needs to make official reports to the local law enforcement officials when appropriate. This will establish the existence of the threats to permit the development of a history of the problems that have challenged the church.

Summary

In Incident 1, the church may or may not have known of the previous history between the estranged husband and wife. It does not appear that the church had placed any type of security into service. The end result was that two people died, another was seriously injured and the shooter escaped from the property before the police arrived on the scene.

In Incident 2, the church had long document knowledge of threats by Majorski and had armed security in place. It appears that the team was most likely aware of the past history with Majorski and intercepted him before he got into the sanctuary and could attack any members or guests.

It is critical that all potential problems or threats are relayed to church management and the security team leader. The team leader then must decide what information and level of disclosure is required for the members of the security team. It is also imperative that all members of the security team maintain the confidentiality of the information. It was not be shared with any one outside of the team.

As the saying goes “knowledge is power” Intelligence provides the ability to share knowledge and information with those who can best prevent or minimize the damage or injury to the church and it’s members and guests.. It is a formidable and powerful tool in the fight against crime and criminality.

Forewarned is forearmed!

If you have not implemented a program for intelligence, please immediately take this very critical issue to your church management and pastors and enlist their assistance in providing an advantage to your team in protecting your church members.