Did you know more than 60% of violent incidents that occur in houses of worship happen outside of the building? Jeff Kearnan, our Security Consultant, talks about designing and implementing an effective security plan for houses of worship. Being diligent and staying proactive and attentive is the key to keeping your people and property safe.
Security Tips:
- Don’t overlook your parking lot – it should be your first line of defense
- Good lighting is proven to reduce crime
- Have an internal security review annually
- Establish clear security policies such as creating a buddy system or security escort to walk employees to their cars at night
- Complete a Suspicious Activity Report with your local police department
- Encourage staff to report anything they find suspicious or out of the ordinary
- Create clear strategies for any potential emergency situation. Take the framework and methodology from a fire or earthquake drill and repurpose it for an active shooter response
If you have questions about designing and implementing security plans for your house of worship, Church & Casualty customers can contact Jeff Kearnan at AskSecurity@ccia.com. Jeff is part of CCIA’s Advisory Team, our dedicated team of professionals that assist our customers with free services such as Security, HR, Legal, and Finance.