Security at your Place of Worship not just about Active Shooters

Security at your place of worship is not just about active shooters. There have been far too many of those sad, tragic and senseless acts of violence in recent years where religious services are observed. Many organizations have weighed in to help churches, synagogues, mosques, temples and other places of worship inform and protect their buildings and people from future incidents. We applaud those educational and informational efforts.

Over the years, H&S Protection has installed security systems for many churches throughout SE and Central Wisconsin. The lessons we’ve learned help us protect any place of worship from vandalism, theft or intrusion. We can’t predict perfection or that our systems can stop an active shooter, but we can share thoughts on why it makes sense to protect where you pray when it seems like it should be the safest place on the planet.

 

When you attend service, the expectation is safety, security, serenity. You should be able to observe, reflect and contemplate in confidence. Because most of us trust others and more so in a worship-related environment, we tend not to think that a criminal might see the world in other ways. They may see a “soft target.” They may think it is easy to sneak in a church back door with no one being wiser.

We don’t like to cry wolf at H&S. But we do want our customers to be aware of their surroundings and possible breaches based on our experience. Churches do get robbed. Cash on hand can be considered an easy target. Some criminals look for these types of situations and take advantage of them.

What we provide is an added layer of protection. Surveillance cameras and alarm systems both work as deterrents. When installed properly by a professional technician, they will stand out. That prevents crime based on an investigative report from the Alarm Industry Research and Education Foundation (AIREF): When all other variables are equal, a prospective burglar will forego a facility that has a posted alarm system and find a target that does not.

Religious leaders should keep their congregations informed on personal safety. Exercise smart measures. Physical security measures like cameras and alarm systems may also make sense in many situations to add a layer of protection.

H&S Protection is here to help. If you have questions, please reach out to us. We can design you a security system to meet your exact needs, and which improves protection for your faithful.