Forum

Has someone developed a verbal escalation script for dealing with suspicious or disruptive people on campus or in the sanctuary?

I think it would be very useful to have an established and vetted verbal escalation “script” that can

1) establish a non-offensive verbal compliance standard that communicates the desired behavior without offending the subject or the surrounding congregation who may
hear it.

2) keep security team people from getting mentally tied up in a distracting conversation

3) provide clues as to a person's state of mind

4) provide a documentable escalation path — “I asked him to be respectful, then I informed him the speaker was not taking questions, I asked him to sit down, then I asked him to leave!”

I think this has too many steps and is too wordy but something along these lines…

Welcome to XYZ church. Can I help you find your way?

You are being too loud, please be respectful during the
service.

Please wait until after the service to make comments.

The speaker is not taking questions, please take your seat.

Please take your seat.

Lets talk about it in the hallway.

I’m sorry but I must now ask you to leave.

By refusing to leave, you are now trespassing.

Anybody thought this through?