All places of worship, including churches, need security

When you think of the organizations and buildings in our society in need of security to ensure their operations run freely, the first thought that will most likely come to your mind is places that hold significant political or financial importance. Perhaps you’d imagine something like a federal agency building, the White House, a politician’s office, bank, or a top secret government facility. While most of these locations are well secured, religious centers are fast becoming a target for people with intentions to take advantage of a religion’s open-door policy and generosity or to make a statement. As difficult as it may seem, it is time that places of worship drew the line and started working on guaranteeing the safety of their worshipers. The importance of beefing up security in and around places of worship was recently demonstrated when Trinity Church, which a historic church located along Wall Street where the nation’s founding fathers like George Washington used to worship, added metal detectors.

Do Religious Centers Really Need Security?

In the past few years, we have seen an increase in assaults, destruction of property, thefts, assaults, and mass shootings targeted at places of worship. It seems like, irrespective of faith, no place is totally safe. Last year alone, multiple worship centers were vandalized, attacked or fell victim to theft. In January 2017, more than 3 synagogues in Florida were vandalized with anti-Semitic, threatening symbols and language. Over 95 anti-Semitic bomb threat cases were reported all over the nation between January and February of the same year. According to reports by CNN, an astonishing number of mosques were also targeted.

Statistics Of Church Destruction and Invasion

From January to July 2017, about 63 incidents of arson, vandalism, and threats reportedly took places at mosques all across the nation. That’s about 9% incidents a month on average. Probably one of the most frequently referred to incidences of violence at any worship center in 2017 occurred in the town of Sutherland Springs, Texas where a lone gunman entered a local Baptist church and opened fire on unsuspecting church-goers, killing 26 and injuring scores. There are many factors that need to be factored when trying to find out why religious centers are becoming targets. After all, the larger portion of America’s population is religious to some extent, with about 63% of adults in the country claiming that they believe in a higher power.

How Can Worship Centers Remain Protected?

It does not take much money or time to improve security for the sake of worshippers and your congregation. While most places of worship believe in an open door policy and welcome anyone and everyone, the locks used on their doors can help protect the facility or center when there is no one around. What you need to do when it comes to creating a safer environment for your religious community is installing high-security locks on all facility windows and doors. Thieves often take advantage of unlocked doors or doors with weak latches to gain entry to such premises.

Church Security Matters

If your place of church or church has high-security locks installed, chose to rekey your locks or update your digital control on a regular basis to ensure that people with ill intentions never gain access. Once your church or synagogue is well sealed, then consider adding alarms and cameras to ensure that criminals do not enter unnoticed and that they are brought to justice if they actually do.