Table Of ContentKeeping Religious
Institutions Secure
Jennie-Leigh McLamb
Independent Security Consultant
Richmond/Fredericksburg
Virginia, USA
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About the Authors
Jennie-Leigh McLamb, CPP, PSP, PCI, has over 12 years of experience in private secu-
rity. 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 reg-
ulating private security personnel. As Compliance and Training Administrator for nine
years at a private security frm, she managed training and licensing of over 1500 indi-
viduals 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 fnishing an MBA with concentra-
tions in Cybersecurity and Information Security Management. She also has an MA in
Anthropology. She earned all three ASIS International security certifcations in 2012:
Certifed Protection Professional (CPP), Physical Security Professional (PSP), and
Professional Certifed 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, frearms
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) certifcation.
Since 2005, he has performed as a cleared armed access control offcer for a high-level
government agency to include but not limited to the following: property access control,
building protection, traffc 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 offcers in close quarter combat, special weapons and tactics,
defensive tactics, low-light shooting, ballistic shield training, pistol qualifcation,
shotgun qualifcations, and long-range rife qualifcations. He is a certifed instruc-
tor of security offcers in basic, advanced handgun, shotgun, and precision rife
xii About the Authors
techniques. He possesses instructor certifcations from the National Rife Associa-
tion (NRA), Virginia’s Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS), Sig Arms,
and the Ohio Peace Offcers Training Academy (OPOTA).
He also earned armorer certifcates in the following weapon systems: Glock,
Remington 870, Beretta, Smith & Wesson M&P, Sig Arms, Springfeld 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 specifc
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, encourage-
ment, 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.
Introduction
1
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 diffcult
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.4
• August 2012: A gunman killed six people and wounded four at a Sikh temple in Oak Creek,
Wisconsin.5
• July 2008: A 58-year-old man entered a Unitarian Universalist Church and opened fre. Nine
people were shot, and two were killed. Police arrived within 3 min, but three members had
already subdued the shooter.6
• February 2010: Three gunmen opened fre during a service at New Gethsemane Church of
God in Christ in California, wounding two people.7
• A nun was strangled in a church garden.8
• A pastor was shot in his front yard for counseling the abused wife of a violent husband.9
• 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
Keeping Religious Institutions Secure. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-801346-5.00001-9
Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
2 Keeping Religious Institutions Secure
Violence has a Website with blog at http://religiousviolence.wordpress.com/, which con-
tains articles and links relating to incidents of religious violence around the globe.
As these incidents show, no religious tradition or denomination is immune to vio-
lence. 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
13
six-year high in 2012. 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
14
countries and Muslims in 109. 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 reli-
15
gious norms. 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
17
burns and tears running through the gilded works of art.
• 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
19
Bala Sena (Buddhist Power Force), which rails against the country’s Muslim minority.
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.
• F acility refers to the physical building and grounds, whether it is a temple, mosque,
synagogue, church, parochial school, or other religious building.
• O rganization refers to the group as a whole, including facility, the staff, and members.
Introduction 3
—Cont’d
• P rincipal refers to the head person at the facility. This person has the fnal say on all
decisions made for the facility and its attendees, although he/she may listen to a coun-
cil or group of advisors.
• L eaders 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.
• A dvisors are those leaders who have positions of authority within the religious tradi-
tion and who advise the principal. Advisors may include deacons, elders, bishops, and
monks.
• A udience, used interchangeably with attendees, refers to the people who adhere to a
particular religious tradition and attend a specifc facility in order to worship.
• A dministrators are those people such as offce managers, secretaries, or assistants
who work for the principal and other leaders in secular positions. They are also
called staff or employees.
• V olunteers are those who work in various capacities as needed but do not receive
monetary compensation for their work.
• A dversary 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
20
security refers to the ability to manage or mitigate danger.
Typically, safety refers to the operations of systems in abnormal environments—
such as food, fre, earthquake, electrical faults, or accidents. Security refers to
those systems that are used to prevent or detect an attack by a malevolent human
21
adversary.
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 intu-
itions with a basic understanding of risk, methods of protection, and other consider-
ations 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.
4 Keeping Religious Institutions Secure
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
22
that “people are more at risk when they feel they are safest.” 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 resolu-
tion 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 atmo-
sphere of fear. There is a natural confict 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 dis-
unity and division because they alter the way your congregation does business. How-
ever, crime prevention strategies can be implemented smoothly and professionally,
with little impact on the congregation. Many of our recommendations can occur with
23
little change and without disrupting your regular method of worship.”
Despite the challenge of recognizing potential threats, there are ways to prevent,
mitigate, and respond to them. There is no surefre way to guarantee a peaceful reso-
lution, 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. I bid.
3. I bid.
