As society continues to slide downward, there's no doubt that churches are less safe than they used to be. In fact, violent attacks on US churches have doubled in the last 3 years. There are a multitude of websites and organizations that help churches to evaluate their security posture. My church did it in-house, as we have a couple of guys with experience in these areas. What did we end up doing?
- Armored our glass doors and some windows with a special 3M film. Demonstration videos show a suspect trying to shoot his way through a mostly glass door that featured the film. Minutes go by before he is able to push his way through. Plenty of time to mount a defensive response. We went through the expense, and it paid off a couple of years ago when someone tried to break in. This 3M is expensive and requires a certified installer. Many glass companies now have cheaper alternatives.
- Installed security cameras. These are very affordable, and can serve as a deterrence.
- Started a Sheepdog Team. First, study your state's laws to see if there are any limitations on what you can do. Once the service is well under way, lock the front doors and leave an armed person in the foyer. He can let latecomers in. He has a 2-way radio and his partner in the sanctuary wears an ear bud. Don't be too "militant" about training requirements, as it might drive people off the team.
- General Safety. Make a (long) list of all the fire extinguishers, emergency exit lights, carbon monoxide alarms, sprinkler systems, boilers, AEDs, etc. Make a schedule so everything gets checked on time. (Impress the Fire Marshall when he comes to inspect.)
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