In the weeks leading up to Christmas 2013 at least six churches in the Decatur area were robbed. One church, Round Island Baptist Church, Athens, in Limestone Baptist Association was burglarized on Christmas Eve. The thieves might have broken into more churches or escaped punishment had it not been for a surveillance video installed at Trinity Baptist Church, Decatur, in Morgan Baptist Association.
One of the thieves’ faces was caught on video as he tried to rip the security camera off the wall, according to Trinity Baptist pastor Richie Thompson. A photo from the video released by Decatur police was shared on Facebook, where someone recognized the 19-year-old robber. He and two others were later arrested for the break-ins.
As the spirit of generosity increases in the weeks leading up to Christmas, so do break-ins and thefts. Churches are not immune from the threat. In fact they may be easy targets during the holidays. For example, increased offerings may mean more cash on hand, whether in the offering plate or in the church office. In addition holiday programs often bring more visitors to the church campus, presenting a danger when rooms and buildings are left open and unsecured.
Increasing threats
Because of the increasing threat of acts of violence, vandalism, theft and other crimes at churches, safety and security have become critical needs that many churches are not addressing, according to Jerry Turpen, president of Covenant Security Concepts in Hoover.
“The major problem with a lot of churches is not that they do not recognize the need for security,” Turpen said. “They either procrastinate or they develop the attitude of ‘this won’t happen at our church.’ Churches must decide if it’s worth the risk not to take the threat seriously.”
Turpen and other security experts suggest that churches should evaluate their security protocols and implement the necessary practices to protect their money, their facilities and their people from would-be thieves and attackers.
First, all churches should have strong internal controls in place year round to guard against theft and misappropriation of church offerings, according to Bobby DuBois, associate executive director of the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions (SBOM). Churches should have written policies about how church money will be handled and should assign responsibility for counting and depositing church funds to multiple individuals. Another step recommended by Brotherhood Mutual Insurance Company is to eliminate signs in the building that advertise cash, such as “Finance Office” or “Donation Receipts.”
Be proactive
Second, churches can be proactive in securing their facilities to guard against break-ins, said Carol Dodgen, owner of Dodgen Security Consulting in Birmingham.
“We like to think that we are secure in our places of worship but then something happens,” Dodgen said. “It makes sense to be vigilant and to put policies in place that are going to make it more difficult for a crime to happen.”
For example Brotherhood Mutual suggests that churches consider installing an alarm system which can substantially reduce the likelihood of buildings being burglarized. A less expensive practice is to use a safe to protect petty cash, small valuables, keys and important documents. In addition expensive electronics such as computers, DVD players, projectors and musical equipment should be secured behind good doors with good locks, Dodgen said. Another good idea is to limit the number of people within the church who have keys or access codes to church buildings.
However, one of the best crime deterrents is what Dodgen calls natural surveillance which is having human eyes on parking lots, office spaces and other areas in order to reduce opportunities for thieves to act.
“Thieves will choose the path of least resistance so they’re looking for a place that is not vigilant,” she said.
Dodgen said many churches have greeter teams who not only give out bulletins but also patrol parking areas, child care areas and other facilities during services. Some churches rely on video surveillance that can be helpful after a crime has been committed, as in the case of Trinity Baptist. Natural surveillance is a more effective deterrent, however, Dodgen said.
Finally, churches can take steps at any time of the year to protect their people both inside and outside church facilities. The use of lighting and landscaping to reduce risk is part of a strategy called Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design. Dodgen said churches should look at their facilities through the eyes of a criminal and look for vulnerabilities.
“Do we have places that people could hide? Do we have adequate lighting at night? Is our parking lot well lit? Have we eliminated ambush points? These are all questions church leaders can ask in order make the church grounds safer,” Dodgen said.
Plan for crisis situations
In addition churches should have a plan in place for crisis situations. Turpen suggests enlisting current or retired members of law enforcement, military or other emergency agencies to form a Safety and Security Committee. Such individuals already have been trained for emergency situations and can offer their expertise to the church, Turpen said. In certain situations a security consultant might be called in as well to help leaders assess the church’s campus and facilities for areas of concern.
Church members who are the first point of contact as people enter church facilities also should be trained, Dodgen said. For example greeters should be trained in what to do if someone comes in who seems unstable. Church personnel need to know how to identify dangers and deescalate those situations, Dodgen added.
“The worst thing that can happen in a crisis is that this is the first time you’ve thought about it happening,” Dodgen said. “There always needs to be a plan in place for handling difficult situations.”
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