Jewish Temple & Church Security

The increase in attacks on Jewish temples and churches is a wake-up call for these worship facilities to set up or update security measures and emergency plans. These religious institutions must prioritize the safety of their congregants and infrastructure. At Green Knight Security, we recognize the threats and attacks churches and temples face, which is why we offer customized protective services in Los Angeles. Here is an overview of Jewish temple and church security, the unique security threats they face, and the protective services we can provide to address your security needs.

A Quick Glance at Jewish Temple and Church Security

Faith-based institutions, such as churches and Jewish temples, are intended to be sanctuaries and safe havens for all people and families. In the past, security guards and police officers were never required in worship places. In fact, off-duty officers left their weapons in the trunk when going to a place of worship. Congregants faced the front of the church or synagogue, turning their backs on the entrance, without fear for their safety because they were in a sanctuary.

However, with the rise of antisemitism, theft, violence, active shooter incidents, and vandalism targeting worship houses, faith-based institutions are updating their security plans to protect the congregants and the facilities. These institutions, just like other organizations, need professional security evaluation and active shooter training.

Data from the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) collected over the years from 2000 show that 1,652 serious violent incidents were reported in worship places. Nationwide, there is an average of 480 serious violent incidents reported annually in worship houses. Cases of mass shootings where at least four people have been killed have also been on the rise since the first incident that occurred in 1980 at a First Baptist Church in Daingerfield, Texas. Several cases of mass shootings have been reported since, including:

• The active shooter incident in 2012 that occurred at the Sikh Temple of Wisconsin in Oak Creek, where six people lost their lives, and four others, including a police officer, sustained injuries.
• The Jewish Community Center of Greater Kansas City in Overland Park incident, where a shooter armed with two handguns and a shotgun killed two people in April 2014.
• The Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina, incident in June 2015, where a 21-year-old shooter opened fire, leaving nine people dead.

These are just a few examples of the many incidents that point to a security problem in worship centers that leaders must address. The incidents are not just a statistic. They point at a pattern that has forced leadership in houses of worship to rethink their security measures and protect themselves. It is the reason these facilities cannot open their doors without armed guards outside, a place meant to be a sanctuary, or police cars patrolling during services or events. You will find that cameras, reinforced doors, access codes, and emergency protocols are now the norm. Congregants have become familiar with the arrangement and no longer question it.

Given these threats, if you have not yet implemented protective security measures in your facility, it is time to consult a professional security company to protect your institution and congregants. Investing in a team of security experts will make your house of worship a haven again.

Apart from investing in security, you must foster a safety culture in which even the congregants feel responsible for their safety and that of the worship facility. You will need a professional security company that adopts a collaborative approach, which involves everyone in creating a safe environment for worship.

Unique Security Risks on Churches and Synagogues

Worship houses face multiple risks. These risks arise because the doors to these facilities are open to anyone, and they are usually busy during services and events, such as weddings. Worship houses come in different sizes and shapes, with some having thousands of congregants and others a few hundred or even fewer, meaning the security threats vary from one facility to another. Failure to invest in adequate security in these institutions can lead to loss of lives, injuries, and property damage. The first step towards improving the security of a church or Jewish temple is to understand the unique threats it faces. The common threats to church and synagogue security are:

Vandalism and Hate Crimes

Jewish temples have become targets of antisemitic attacks, while churches all over the country face denomination- or belief-based discrimination. Vandalism, including graffiti, the breaking of equipment, and the destruction of property, has become rampant.

Equipment Theft and Property Offenses

Worship houses contain many valuable items, including donations, church equipment, and historical artifacts. These give thieves reasons to target synagogues.

Internal Conflicts

Disagreements among congregants can escalate into a security threat. The presence of security guards or officers can help with de-escalation.

Professional Security Risk Assessment

When you retain the services of a security company for church or Jewish temple security, they will work with you to determine the best solutions for your home. To do this, your security experts must first conduct a security risk evaluation to estimate and establish the likelihood of a security threat. Risk assessment is usually the first proactive step towards safeguarding your congregants and the house of worship. A comprehensive assessment will provide you with an actionable plan to improve your security.

During the risk assessment, your security firm will evaluate the threats to your staff and congregants and formulate a plan to protect them, equipment, and critical infrastructure.

A comprehensive assessment will audit your risks, identify vulnerabilities, and conduct a security survey. The objective is to analyze the worship facility, identify vulnerable areas, and, if possible, take measures to address them.

The assessment also includes identifying safe areas where congregants can remain after a violent incident while awaiting the emergency response.

Key Components of Jewish Temple and Church Security

Protecting your congregants requires more than one security measure. Effective security must combine security experts, systems, and proper planning. Your approach must adopt a physical presence, technology, and routine security protocols. Each component is crucial to promoting the security of the house of worship. After the security professionals conduct a risk assessment, they will develop a plan that incorporates key security components depending on your security needs, including:

1. On-site Security Guards

When selecting a security company for your worship facility, you should work with a firm that has well-trained security guards. After the risk assessment, the company will advise you on the type of guards you will require on site. The level of security risk you face, the environment in which the worship center operates, and what you are protecting will inform the type of guards the security company recommends.

Your security experts will recommend armed security guards if:

• The house of worship has a history of violence, theft, or assault
• You seek to protect valuable church equipment, cash donations, or historical artifacts
• You have a large congregation or are hosting an event that will attract a large gathering
• Your church or Jewish temple is located in a high-crime area
• Quick response and maximum deterrence are mandatory

The primary responsibility of armed guards is to deter security threats and respond quickly when they occur.

If you partner with an experienced company, they will know how best to address your threats while prioritizing your safety, your congregants’ safety, and the protection of your infrastructure. The presence of armed guards outside the prayer house will discourage people with criminal intent. Additionally, their presence sends the message that you take the security of the worship facility and your congregants seriously.

Conversely, the security company can recommend unarmed guards if your church or temple is located in a low-crime area or if you do not have valuable items in the worship house. If the threat to the church is vandalism or criminal attempts to damage property, unarmed guards are the most suitable option because they can use their training to mitigate the risk. Also, they are suitable for worship facilities with a few congregants. The advantage of having these personnel is that they are less expensive than armed guards and can resolve disputes without firearms.

2. Mobile Patrol and Surveillance Systems

Combining trained security guards with surveillance services will improve the security needs of your worship facility. A combination of CCTV surveillance and security guards, with a standby, ensures a quick response in case a threat is identified. However, if you do not have the resources to have permanent security guards, you can use patrol and surveillance services.

Your security experts will install cameras in strategic areas of the facility and have a virtual guard monitor them in case of any incident. Security companies provide highly trained virtual guards who monitor the cameras remotely and work with a patrol team to ensure a quick response. With a high-tech surveillance system, patrol services, and virtual guards, you do not have to deal with false alarms or rely on police response during a security incident. If there are vandals in the church, by the time the police respond, they will be gone. However, virtual guards can spot the vandals in real time and alert a patrol.

The advantage of partnering with a company that provides virtual guards is that, even if you lack a surveillance system, they will conduct a security assessment of the facility and identify the areas where cameras will be most effective. After installation, your facility will be under 24-hour surveillance. Even though a virtual guard is not human, they do not work alone. The collaboration with the patrol team on the ground ensures that once a virtual guard determines an alarm is true, the human guards on patrol respond immediately.

3. Active Shooter Preparedness Training

In the recent past, there have been increased cases of active shooter incidents in California. These incidents have been very common in Jewish temples and churches, prompting many security companies to train congregants in worship facilities on how to respond to them as part of their security services.

An active shooter incident is when an armed individual actively shoots or attempts to shoot and kill unarmed civilians in a crowded or enclosed facility. These incidents can happen at any time and often result in multiple deaths and injuries. As part of their security package, companies offer training to staff and congregants in worship facilities to minimize or prevent injuries or fatalities in the event of an incident.

Your security firm will conduct a risk assessment of the site and the evacuation protocol to develop a plan that addresses the threat. The trainers will evaluate the facility’s access control system to identify methods that potential shooters can use to access the worship center and provide risk management training to decrease the chances of the shooter accessing the building.

Surveillance will be another factor to consider during the assessment. With proper surveillance, on-site or virtual security guards can identify the shooter before they fire. Your security experts will train your guards or staff to spot, locate, and respond effectively to an active shooter.

Communication and mass notification are also essential in mitigating active shooter incidents before or after they happen. Your security trainer will educate staff or congregants on how to communicate effectively without mistakes during an incident.

Also, they will establish a leadership line in the event of an incident. Authority figures help mitigate the panic, preventing an already bad situation from turning worse.

Your capacity to implement preventive measures, such as active shooter training, helps mitigate and manage these incidents, reducing or eliminating injuries or deaths among your congregants.

The trainer will identify any factors, procedural or physical, that could increase the risk of active shooter incidents and tailor their training to empower, educate, and prepare your staff and congregants for such incidents.

Hiring active shooter incident trainers equips trainees with a reliance mindset and safety response tips. Additionally, it enhances teamwork to develop a risk assessment plan that promotes preparedness and recognition of critical response factors. The training combines risk assessment and the formulation of a favorable plan to increase survival chances.

4. Access Control System

Another service you will receive from your church or security consultants is the implementation of an electronic access control system to help you better manage who enters or leaves crucial areas of the facility, such as the storage room or leadership office. Regarding the congregation entering and leaving the worship house, you can rely on the trained security guards. They have proper training to implement access control, ensuring that any active shooters or criminals do not access the facility.

For a small church with a few congregants, one entrance to the building is sufficient. Ten minutes after the service commences, the entrance should be closed, and a security officer should be positioned at the door to allow late arrivals entry.

If the facility has a large congregation, multiple entrances are needed, and attendants are assigned to each closed entrance after the service starts. Large worship houses must have a patrol team in the parking lots and at the entrances of each floor.

Choosing a Security Company for Jewish Temple and Church Security

Los Angeles has many security companies, all claiming to provide the best services for church and synagogue security. However, these companies are not the same. The security of the house of worship begins with the security company you enlist. You need a partner with experience and knowledge of your needs. The factors you should consider when hiring include:

Local Knowledge or Expertise

When hiring, you need to partner with a security company whose security guards understand local laws, as each jurisdiction has its own laws on carrying firearms in a place of worship and on hiring licensed security personnel for places of worship. Additionally, local knowledge will help them know when to engage the police in cases involving congregant conflicts or other security matters.

Licensed and Insured

The security guards to be deployed in your religious institution must be licensed and insured. Having a valid license indicates that the personnel meet the state requirements for the job and have completed the relevant training. Run a background check on the guards to be deployed to your facility to ensure they are qualified. Additionally, ensure they are adequately insured so you are not held liable for any injuries or deaths that occur to personnel during a security incident. If they are not insured, you risk being held financially liable for any harm that happens to the guards while in your facility.

Around-the-Clock Protection

The threat to worship places does not occur only during the day, when there is an event or service. Vandals and thieves can target the facility at night or during days when it is closed, which underscores the need for a team available 24/7.

Service Flexibility

The security needs of churches and synagogues are ever-evolving. Also, each worship facility has its unique security needs. Your security consultants should provide a wide range of services that evolve as your security needs change.

Find a Reputable Jewish Temple and Church Security Company Near Me

Church and synagogue officials and leadership must prioritize the safety of their congregants and protect the infrastructure due to the increasing cases of vandalism, property crimes, hate crimes, and discrimination targeting these institutions. The best way to do this is to hire an experienced Jewish temple and church security service.

At Green Knight Security, we will conduct a risk assessment to understand your security threats and tailor our security services to meet these needs. Call us at 844-457-8326 to schedule a free consultation in Los Angeles.