Ways to Make Your Church Feel Safer Without Alarming Your Members
A church must be a place in the community in which people feel safe. The highly public number of church shootings in recent years may make some of your members uneasy about visiting your church, which can be a concern. Hiring a security company to provide security for your church is critical to making your members feel safe as they worship, but you must also be careful about how you approach this topic. Armed security guards standing in the aisles of the church may make your members feel safe, but this scene can be a little alarming, too. Here are some ways to promote safety more subtly.
Have a Visible Security Presence in the Parking Lot
If a shooter were to target your church, they would have to cross the parking lot before entering the building. You can dramatically reduce this risk by having a visible security presence in the parking lot. Officers positioned at the entrance to the lot and in other areas around the outside of the building will significantly deter anyone who wishes to enter your church and cause harm. Your members will see these security professionals when they show up on Sunday and feel safe as a result — but not be distracted by the thought of security after entering the church.
Use Some Plainclothes Officers
It's imperative to have at least some of the officers who are protecting your church and its members in plainclothes. Even with a visible security presence outside of the building, it's important to have officers inside. Having them in uniform may alarm some of your members, so request that some of the officers wear church-appropriate attire. Security companies can always give you the option of using uniformed or plainclothes officers, and having a few of the latter sitting in your church adds safety without being a distraction.
Use Lots of Cameras
A security company can provide an on-site security evaluation. The officers who perform this evaluation may deem that your building lacks security cameras. Security cameras can be an effective crime deterrent, so you should make plans to install some inside and outside of your building. A suspect who may be plotting an attack at your church could think otherwise upon realizing that the exterior of the building has a series of security cameras positioned around it. Your security company can recommend which products to buy and where to install them.
For more ideas on increasing security at church, visit websites such as http://intellexsecurity.com/.