Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

Keeping Religious Institutions Secure
Keeping Religious Institutions Secure
Keeping Religious Institutions Secure
Ebook450 pages3 hours

Keeping Religious Institutions Secure

Rating: 0 out of 5 stars

()

Read preview

About this ebook

Keeping Religious Institutions Secure explores the unique vulnerabilities that churches, synagogues, and mosques face in regards to security, making them attractive to criminals who see them as easy targets.

The text illustrates why all places of worship should think about security and the types of breaches that can drive people away. The book focuses on the most frequent security concerns experienced by houses of worship, including embezzlement, vandalism, assault, hate crime, and in rare cases, an active shooter—and how to help prevent them from occurring.

Beginning with an overview of the basic security concepts and principles that can enhance the security of any religious facility, it then delves deeply into the particular security concerns of houses of worship, including the use of volunteers, protecting religious leaders, ensuring safety for children and teens, interacting with local law enforcement, handling the media, and much more.

  • Covers security best practices that are adaptable to any type of religious institution.
  • Addresses the key security measures—physical, electronic, environmental, and procedural—for protecting people and facilities.
  • Includes guidance on identifying threats and vulnerabilities and instituting countermeasures for deterring crime and violence.
LanguageEnglish
Release dateApr 13, 2015
ISBN9780128014882
Keeping Religious Institutions Secure
Author

Jennie-Leigh McLamb

Jennie-Leigh McLamb, CPP, PSP, PCI, has over 10 years of experience in private security. Currently, she is an independent security consultant who advises businesses and other institutions on preparedness and planning for a variety of threats, as well as conducts risk assessments and physical security surveys. She also conducts training sessions and designs curricula for a variety of topics including workplace violence prevention, security awareness, creating policies and procedures, screening social media for new hires, and situational awareness. She began her security career in the Private Security Services Section of Virginia’s Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) where she performed a variety of functions including evaluating sources for alternative training credit, conducting compliance agent training, and helping develop new regulations as well as internal policies and procedures for regulating private security personnel. As the compliance and training administrator for a private security company, she managed training and licensing of over 1500 individuals across multiple jurisdictions and contract requirements, designed and updated curriculum and tests, and developed training plans in support of business proposals. She is an instructor and curriculum developer for both online and onsite courses in various security topics including access control, patrol, confrontation management, and others. In addition to her ASIS certifications, she has an MS in Security Management and is finishing an MBA with concentrations in Cybersecurity and Information Security Management.

Related to Keeping Religious Institutions Secure

Related ebooks

Business For You

View More

Related articles

Reviews for Keeping Religious Institutions Secure

Rating: 0 out of 5 stars
0 ratings

0 ratings0 reviews

What did you think?

Tap to rate

Review must be at least 10 words

    Book preview

    Keeping Religious Institutions Secure - Jennie-Leigh McLamb

    Keeping Religious Institutions Secure

    Jennie-Leigh McLamb

    Independent Security Consultant, Richmond/Fredericksburg, Virginia, USA

    Table of Contents

    Cover image

    Title page

    Copyright

    About the Authors

    Preface

    Acknowledgments

    1. Introduction

    Incidents in the United States

    Incidents Outside the United States

    Safety versus Security

    Purpose and Scope of this Book

    Organization of this Book

    Considerations

    2. Examining Typical Crimes

    General Crime Information

    Financial Crimes

    Crimes against Property

    Crimes against Persons

    Hate Crimes

    Final Thoughts

    3. Understanding Basic Security Principles

    General Concepts

    Disaster/Crisis/Incident Management Cycle

    Physical Security

    Electronic Security

    Environmental Security

    Operational Security

    Information Security

    Final Thoughts

    4. Evaluating Risk

    Risk

    Risk Assessment

    Security Survey

    Cost-Benefit Analysis

    Putting It All Together

    Final Thoughts

    5. Choosing Physical and Electronic Security Countermeasures

    Security System Functions

    Designing and Implementing a Physical Protection System

    Improving an Existing PPS

    Systems Integration

    Performance Measures for PPS Functions

    Building Your Facility

    Final Thoughts

    6. Utilizing the Total Environment

    Benefits of CPTED

    What is CPTED?

    Behavior Management

    Space Assessment 3-D Approach

    Putting CPTED Principles to Work

    Final Thoughts

    7. Developing Policies and Procedures

    Topics for Policies and Procedures

    Emergency Plans for Security Incidents

    Recovery Plans

    Information Security Policies

    Issue-Specific Security Policies

    Policy Distribution

    Final Thoughts

    8. Identifying and Handling At-Risk People

    Threat Assessment

    Signs of a Person Being Under the Influence of Chemical Substances

    Mental Illness

    Suspicious Behaviors Indicating Criminal Activity

    Early Warning Signs of Potential Workplace Violence

    Warning Signs of Potential/Impending Violence

    Domestic Violence

    Meeting with a Potentially Violent Person

    Confrontation Management and De-Escalation Techniques

    Final Thoughts

    9. Reacting to an Event in Progress

    Declaring a Crisis

    Bomb Threats

    Other Threats

    Suspicious Mail or Packages

    Suspicious Items

    Potential Attacker

    Managing Anxiety

    Managing Verbal Aggression

    Physical Intervention

    Final Thoughts

    10. Responding to an Active Shooter

    Factors that Affect Decision-Making

    Preparation

    Run

    Hide

    Intervene

    What to Do when Law Enforcement Arrives

    Final Thoughts

    11. Recovering from an Incident

    Immediate Aftermath

    Short Term

    Long Term

    Summary

    12. Handling the Media

    Introduction

    Media Liaison

    Other Considerations

    Final Thoughts

    13. Recognizing Intangible Capital and Liability Concerns

    Intangible Assets

    Intangible Capital

    Protecting Your Facility’s Reputation

    Liability Concerns

    Final Thoughts

    14. Increasing Security Awareness

    Factors that Negatively Affect Awareness

    Security Awareness Program

    Final Thoughts

    15. Implementing and Training

    Implementing a Security Program

    Training

    Final Thoughts

    16. Keeping the Principal Safe

    Deciding If You Need Executive Protection

    Threat Identification

    24-Hour Protection

    Residential Protection

    Facility Protection

    Protection When You Travel

    Protection for Your Family

    Personal Protection Detail

    17. Assessing the Need for Less Lethal Tools and Firearms

    Use of Force Continuum

    Training

    Budget

    Less Lethal Tools/Weapons

    Firearms

    Considerations

    Final Thoughts

    18. Establishing Security Partnerships

    Within the Organization

    Outside the Organization

    Community

    Other Religious Institutions

    How to Establish Partnerships

    19. Protecting Children and Youth

    General Procedures

    Principles of Safety

    Abuse and Neglect

    Reducing the Likelihood of Victimization

    Standards of Conduct for Staff and Volunteers

    Prevention Strategies

    Final Thoughts

    20. Conclusion and Summary

    Index

    Copyright

    Butterworth-Heinemann is an imprint of Elsevier

    The Boulevard, Langford Lane, Kidlington, Oxford OX5 1GB, UK

    225 Wyman Street, Waltham, MA 02451, USA

    Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

    No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. Details on how to seek permission, further information about the Publisher’s permissions policies and our arrangements with organizations such as the Copyright Clearance Center and the Copyright Licensing Agency, can be found at our website: www.elsevier.com/permissions.

    This book and the individual contributions contained in it are protected under copyright by the Publisher (other than as may be noted herein).

    Notices

    Knowledge and best practice in this field are constantly changing. As new research and experience broaden our understanding, changes in research methods, professional practices, or medical treatment may become necessary.

    Practitioners and researchers must always rely on their own experience and knowledge in evaluating and using any information, methods, compounds, or experiments described herein. In using such information or methods they should be mindful of their own safety and the safety of others, including parties for whom they have a professional responsibility.

    To the fullest extent of the law, neither the Publisher nor the authors, contributors, or editors, assume any injury and/or damage to persons or property as a matter of products liability, negligence or otherwise, or from any use or operation of any methods, products, instructions, or ideas contained in the material herein.

    ISBN: 978-0-12-801346-5

    British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data

    A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

    Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

    A catalog record for this book is available from the Library of Congress

    For Information on all Butterworth-Heinemann publications visit our website at http://store.elsevier.com/

    Printed and bound in the USA

    About the Authors

    Jennie-Leigh McLamb, CPP, PSP, PCI, has over 12  years of experience in private security. She worked in the Private Security Services Section of Virginia’s Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) where she performed a variety of functions including evaluating sources for alternative training credit, conducting compliance agent training, and helping develop new regulations as well as internal policies and procedures for regulating private security personnel. As Compliance and Training Administrator for nine years at a private security firm, she managed training and licensing of over 1500 individuals across multiple jurisdictions and contract requirements, designed and updated curriculum and tests, and developed training plans in support of business proposals. She was an instructor and curriculum developer for both online and onsite courses in various security topics including access control, patrol, confrontation management, and others.

    She has an MS in Security Management and is finishing an MBA with concentrations in Cybersecurity and Information Security Management. She also has an MA in Anthropology. She earned all three ASIS International security certifications in 2012: Certified Protection Professional (CPP), Physical Security Professional (PSP), and Professional Certified Investigator (PCI).

    Since January 2014, she has worked as an Independent Security Consultant who provides expertise in the following areas: curriculum development, physical security surveys, risk assessments, developing policies and procedures, training assessments, and other security topics.

    David Binkley, PSP, has over 10  years of experience in physical security, firearms handling and training, and use of less-lethal weapons. A former Marine, he was a Marine Corps Martial Arts Instructor and a member of the Silent Drill Team. In 2011, he earned the ASIS International Physical Security Professional (PSP) certification.

    Since 2005, he has performed as a cleared armed access control officer for a high-level government agency to include but not limited to the following: property access control, building protection, traffic control, inspect vehicles, assist visitors, perform roving patrol, enforce regulation, report breaches of security, ability to respond to emergency situations including pursuit, apprehension and detention of individuals, monitoring of alarm and CCTV.

    An instructor since 2006, he has trained military, police, government, and contract security officers in close quarter combat, special weapons and tactics, defensive tactics, low-light shooting, ballistic shield training, pistol qualification, shotgun qualifications, and long-range rifle qualifications. He is a certified instructor of security officers in basic, advanced handgun, shotgun, and precision rifle techniques. He possesses instructor certifications from the National Rifle Association (NRA), Virginia’s Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS), Sig Arms, and the Ohio Peace Officers Training Academy (OPOTA).

    He also earned armorer certificates in the following weapon systems: Glock, Remington 870, Beretta, Smith & Wesson M&P, Sig Arms, Springfield Armory, and Colt.

    Preface

    Religious violence has been on the rise around the world. Groups like ISIS and Boko Haram have perpetrated terrorist acts against members of other religious traditions. This includes destruction of religious iconography, damage to property and buildings, and killing those who refuse to convert. Sectarian violence—violence between sects of the same major tradition—has also been on the rise.

    The increased visibility of religious terrorists, as well as active shooters at the workplace or school, may encourage copycat crimes. It is imperative for religious institutions to prepare for the potential of violent acts.

    Unfortunately, faith is not enough to protect followers of religious traditions from the possibility of violent acts perpetrated against them. Religious institutions need to change their way of thinking.

    The idea for this book was generated by news reports of violence at religious institutions. As I considered these events, I discovered that there were few resources dedicated to the unique needs of religious institutions and designed for the specific audience of non-security personnel. My hope is that religious institutions will use the information in this book to protect their attendees, employees, and facility.

    Acknowledgments

    I would like to thank David Binkley for writing the following chapters: Chapter 16 Keeping the Principal Safe and Chapter 17 Assessing the Need for Less Lethal Tools and Firearms. His expertise was invaluable in writing these chapters.

    I would also like to thank my husband and my parents for their support, encouragement, and patience. Without them, this book would not have been possible.

    Finally, I would also like to thank a few more individuals who have contributed to my knowledge and understanding of security principles: Lynn H. Herring, David A. Long, Sr., Burton Walker, and Robbie Robertson. Their mentorship, expertise, and support have been instrumental in my development as a security professional.

    1

    Introduction

    Abstract

    This chapter includes information on why religious institutions are seen as an easy target. It lists various security incidents in the United States and around the world to illustrate the multitude of crimes that can occur at a religious institution—whether it is a mosque, church, temple, or synagogue.

    Keywords

    Crime incidents; Religious violence; Safety; Security; Terminology

    Religious institutions—whether they are a temple, mosque, synagogue, church, or other structure—are considered by their attendees to be a sanctuary that provides a safe refuge from the troubles of the outside world. They are a place to worship, sing, praise, contemplate, and enjoy fellowship with other believers. They are welcoming places that provide guidance, healing, support, and comfort in times of need. As a result, most attendees see them as sacred places. Unfortunately, criminals see them as an easy, target-rich environment.

    The FBI’s Uniform Crime Report http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/ucr does not separate religious institutions from other businesses, making precise numbers difficult to ascertain.¹ However, it is known that religious institutions are often victimized more than once and usually within a short period of time.² In one instance, a church had their sound equipment stolen. A few weeks after replacing the equipment, the place was hit again, and the new sound equipment was stolen.³

    Incidents in the United States

    A brief listing of crimes in religious institutions shows the scope of the problem.

    • March 2005: A gunman killed eight people including himself at a church meeting—of which he was a member—in a Sheraton Hotel in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

    • August 2012: A gunman killed six people and wounded four at a Sikh temple in Oak Creek, Wisconsin.

    • July 2008: A 58-year-old man entered a Unitarian Universalist Church and opened fire. Nine people were shot, and two were killed. Police arrived within 3  min, but three members had already subdued the shooter.

    • February 2010: Three gunmen opened fire during a service at New Gethsemane Church of God in Christ in California, wounding two people.

    • A nun was strangled in a church garden.

    • A pastor was shot in his front yard for counseling the abused wife of a violent husband.

    • An emotionally disturbed man took a congregation hostage and held them in a confrontation with police.¹⁰

    • A deranged man drove his truck through the church doors during services.¹¹

    • A woman, who was praying, was assaulted, robbed, and raped in the sanctuary.¹²

    There are several sources of information on religious violence that can be found on the internet. Carl Chinn also tracks deadly force incidents in religious institutions on his Website www.carlchinn.com. Another Website with information on events from history to the present is maintained by Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance. It can be found at http://www.religioustolerance.org/intol_news.htm. The Center for the Study of Religious Violence has a Website with blog at http://religiousviolence.wordpress.com/, which contains articles and links relating to incidents of religious violence around the globe.

    As these incidents show, no religious tradition or denomination is immune to violence. Facilities in every state, whether the city is large or small, are vulnerable. These are just a few of the reported incidents. It is estimated that most incidents go unreported.

    Incidents Outside the United States

    Religious institutions outside the United States have experienced dramatic events as well. Many countries are known for incidents of religious violence, particularly clashes between different religions, as well as clashes between different denominations of the same religion. The U.S. State Department issues an International Religious Freedom Report that describes the status of religious freedom in each foreign country, government policies violating religious belief and practices of groups, religious denominations, and individuals, and US policies to promote religious freedom around the world. The 2012 report can be accessed at http://www.state.gov/j/drl/rls/irf/religiousfreedom/index.htm.

    According to a Pew Center Report, religious hostilities around the world reached a six-year high in 2012.¹³ The level of harassment or intimidation of particular religious groups also experienced an increase in 2012. Harassers were governments—national, provincial, or local—as well as individuals and groups. Christians were harassed in 110 countries and Muslims in 109.¹⁴ In addition, 2012 also saw an increase in the share of countries where violence or the threat of violence was used to compel adherence to religious norms.¹⁵ The full study can be viewed at http://www.pewforum.org/2014/01/14/religious-hostilities-reach-six-year-high/.

    • December 2012: At least 12 were killed in attacks on two Nigerian churches.¹⁶

    • August 2013: The Greek Catholic Mar Elias Church and the Sunni Muslim Grand Mosque in Qusayr, Syria, were both almost totally destroyed as government and rebel forces battled for control. Though some icons have been recovered, they suffered grievous damage, with burns and tears running through the gilded works of art.¹⁷

    • October 2013: Forty Coptic Christian Churches were attacked in Egypt.¹⁸

    • June 2014: Hard-line Buddhists hurled gasoline bombs and looted homes and businesses on a Sunday in several towns in southwestern Sri Lanka. The attacks were led by a mob from Bodu Bala Sena (Buddhist Power Force), which rails against the country’s Muslim minority.¹⁹

    Terminology

    To avoid confusion, the following terms will be used throughout this book. I’ve attempted to keep them as religion-neutral as possible so as to apply to a broad spectrum of religious traditions and organizational structures.

    Facility refers to the physical building and grounds, whether it is a temple, mosque, synagogue, church, parochial school, or other religious building.

    Organization refers to the group as a whole, including facility, the staff, and members.

    Principal refers to the head person at the facility. This person has the final say on all decisions made for the facility and its attendees, although he/she may listen to a council or group of advisors.

    Leaders refer to formal or informal religious specialists such as clerics, pastors, priests, monks, rabbis, imams, ministers, and preachers who are typically ordained or otherwise designated as religious authorities by a certifying body, the audience, or the principal.

    Advisors are those leaders who have positions of authority within the religious tradition and who advise the principal. Advisors may include deacons, elders, bishops, and monks.

    Audience, used interchangeably with attendees, refers to the people who adhere to a particular religious tradition and attend a specific facility in order to worship.

    Administrators are those people such as office managers, secretaries, or assistants who work for the principal and other leaders in secular positions. They are also called staff or employees.

    Volunteers are those who work in various capacities as needed but do not receive monetary compensation for their work.

    Adversary is anyone who poses a threat to the organization, facility, or its people regardless of motive, action, or method. This term is used interchangeably with perpetrator.

    Safety versus Security

    Often used interchangeably, the terms safety and security actually have different meanings in the context of this book. Safety refers to the absence of danger, whereas security refers to the ability to manage or mitigate danger.²⁰

    Typically, safety refers to the operations of systems in abnormal environments—such as flood, fire, earthquake, electrical faults, or accidents. Security refers to those systems that are used to prevent or detect an attack by a malevolent human adversary.²¹

    Purpose and Scope of this Book

    This book is not an attempt to question anyone’s faith, but it is intended to provide additional tools that can be utilized so attendees are free to worship as they choose without fear of crime or violence. This book is designed to provide religious intuitions with a basic understanding of risk, methods of protection, and other considerations they need to take into account in order to keep their facility, property, and users secure. Whenever possible, it is important to consult and/or hire professionals who can provide the proper information on systems for lighting, access control, and intrusion detection.

    Organization of this Book

    This book is organized as a logical progression from basic security principles to planning to respond to an incident to recovering from one. It also takes into account special issues such as handling at-risk individuals, considerations for children and youth, and lesser known but potentially devastating effects such as loss of reputation and liability issues.

    Considerations

    In order to keep your facility, staff, and attendees secure, there are several things to keep in mind. First, you must recognize that crime can and does happen in religious institutions and that they are a target-rich environment. It is important to remember that people are more at risk when they feel they are safest.²² This is because they let their guard down and may not pay attention to signs of trouble.

    Security starts months before you even realize an incident may occur. As with an emergency or crisis, preparedness and planning are essential to a successful resolution of the incident. There is no single answer to the problem of violence in religious institutions. A complex and multifaceted issue, it requires extensive training, thorough planning, and consistency in implementation. A variety of strategies must be used that take into account the unique needs of the particular institution(s) with which you are concerned. Administrators, staff, and attendees need to work together to ensure a safe and secure environment. You cannot do it all, and you cannot do it alone.

    Police are reactive; you need to be proactive and prepare for a potential event. Security does not have to be armed guards and metal detectors. There are many things you can do to create a safe and secure environment without contributing to an atmosphere of fear. There is a natural conflict between convenience and security. However, a balance must be maintained between the institution’s mission and security measures.

    Security and safety are issues that, if not implemented properly, can create disunity and division because they alter the way your congregation does business. However, crime prevention strategies can be implemented smoothly and professionally, with little impact on the congregation. Many of our recommendations can occur with little change and without disrupting your regular method of worship.²³

    Despite the challenge of recognizing potential threats, there are ways to prevent, mitigate, and respond to them. There is no surefire way to guarantee a peaceful resolution, but we can provide you with tools to contribute to the successful handling of violent or criminal acts or events at your facility.

    End Notes

    1. Quarles C. L. and Ratliff P. L., Crime Prevention for Houses of Worship (Alexandria: American Society for Industrial Security, 2001).

    2. Ibid.

    3. Ibid.

    4. Sinai J., Active Shooter: A Handbook on Prevention (Alexandria: ASIS International, 2013).

    5. Ibid.

    6. Blair J. P. et al., Active Shooter Events and Response (Boca Raton: CRC Press, 2013).

    7. Burk T., Weiss J. and Davis M., Church Protectors, The Journal of Counterterrorism and Homeland Security International 20, no. 2 (2014): 36–39.

    8. See note 1 above, p. 4.

    9. Ibid.

    10. Ibid.

    11. Ibid.

    12. Ibid.

    13. http://www.pewforum.org/2014/01/14/religious-hostilities-reach-six-year-high/.

    14. Ibid.

    15. Ibid.

    16. See note 7 above.

    17. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/06/syria-conflict-destroys-mosques-churches_n_3709262.html.

    18. See note 7 above.

    19. See note 17 above.

    20. See note 7 above.

    21. Garcia M. L., The Design and Evaluation of Physical Protection Systems, Second Edition (Massachusetts: Butterworth-Heinemann, 2008).

    22. See note 1 above, p. 14.

    23. See note 1 above, p. 23.

    2

    Examining Typical Crimes

    Abstract

    This chapter includes information on typical crimes experienced by religious institutions. Crimes are categorized as financial, crimes against persons, crimes against property, and hate crimes. Financial crimes, often committed by insiders who have access to financial instruments, include embezzlement, skimming, and larceny. Fraud and financial scams are financial crimes that can be perpetrated by insider or outsiders. Crimes against persons include sexual assault, robbery, assault and battery, and homicide. Property crimes include arson, vandalism, bombing, theft, and burglary. Hate crimes can

    Enjoying the preview?
    Page 1 of 1