The Hidden Vulnerabilities: What Our Discounted Security Threat Assessment Reveals About Your House of Worship's Security
A Security Risk Assessment (SRA) is a realistic and all-encompassing evaluation of the threats a property and its occupants face. In today’s culture, there is an alarming amount of trust placed solely in security systems (pun intended). While a security system is, in my opinion, great and often mandatory, it primarily functions as a notification system. Beyond the presence of cameras and a small sign in the yard, it does little to actively deter crime. It is simply not enough to keep you safe. Why? Because a significant amount of time can pass between a security system notifying you or law enforcement and an intruder making their way through your house while you and your children are sleeping or hiding.
An SRA is a straightforward process. A consultant evaluates the property, building, technology, policies, procedures, and finally, your own knowledge of safety and self-defense. They utilize industry standards to manipulate the environment to deter, detect, delay, and deny. Let’s examine Houses of Worship to reveal common threats and their solutions.
Houses of Worship face unique challenges because they are the physical embodiment of religion, which cultures have fought over for thousands of years. This inherently makes them targets for various threats. They are also targeted due to their generosity; individuals often seek to take advantage of Houses of Worship when they are trying to help those in need. In addition to these unique challenges, they also face common ones, such as natural disasters, vandalism, burglary, embezzlement, and scandals, to name a few.
My process for conducting an SRA is a layered approach. Think of it like a dartboard with concentric circles around the bullseye, where each layer represents another level of protection. For a House of Worship, I begin with an open-source intelligence analysis of the surrounding area. This means researching factors such as the most common natural disasters for that area, the most frequent crimes committed, and the presence of felons or registered sex offenders within a certain radius. Open source refers to any information openly available online. For instance, you can use the “Citizen” app to search for felons in your local area; you might be surprised by what you find.
The next layer focuses on the physical property itself and existing barriers designed to deter crime. This concept is known as “crime prevention through environmental design” or CPTED. CPTED focuses on physical attributes to highlight vulnerable areas or to funnel individuals on the property to a specific location. It uses landscaping as a deterrent, for example, by strategically placing plants like Hawthorn or Blackthorn bushes close to buildings to deter someone from reaching a window.
After the property, we assess the structure and its physical attributes. This includes evaluating the quality of exterior doors, for example: Can they be easily defeated by force? Do your windows have redundant locks? Simple changes can be made, such as adding a cheap wooden dowel to the track of a sliding door. Alternatively, you could purchase steel-plated, layered polycarbonate doors with a ballistic NIJ rating that stops bullets. Either way, reinforcing entry points is the first step in hardening the structure.
Then comes technology. Do you have cameras, and what are their capabilities? Are there sensors on your windows, and what type are they? Is your system regularly updated and maintained by a professional? A new trend in burglaries involves thieves carrying Wi-Fi jammers. These devices can disrupt the connection to your Wi-Fi-connected cameras, effectively shutting them down. Depending on the camera, it may still record, but you won't be able to view the footage in real time. Other cloud-based cameras will be completely shut down while the jammer is in the area.
Next are policies and procedures. What rules do you have in place to keep everyone safe? Is there a plan for an active shooter or child abduction? What about a natural disaster? How do you prevent employees from embezzling funds? These are all part of Emergency Action Plans, which are designed to ensure you and your team know how to deal with traumatic situations in the moment for a higher chance of a positive outcome.
Finally, we address your own self-defense. How do you protect yourself or your congregation? Are you carrying a firearm? Do you understand the legal definition of lethal force and when you are legally permitted to use such force? The most challenging aspect of a self-defense situation is justifying your actions, not only to yourself but to a court of law.
GoodKnight Security Consulting’s SRA is a point-based evaluation out of 100. Like any evaluation, you need a starting baseline and goals to achieve. Our goal is to get your House of Worship to a minimum score of 80/100. Please reach out to us if you or someone you know may be interested. We want to help.
