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May 17, 2007 - Security in the Church
Present
Introduction
About Crimes in Churches
Things You Can Do
Outside
During Worship
People Asking for Handouts
Present
Karen Surprenant, Faith, Winona
Doug Novak, First, LeSueur
Connie Baum, First, LeSueur
Randy Baum, First, LeSueur
Barb Anderson, Hosanna, Rochester
Wendy Kauffmann, Zion, Stewartville
Sharryn Melin, Bethel, Rochester
Janet Hoffman, Bethel, Rochester
Judy Gittus, Bethel, Rochester
Kathy Voigt, Little Cedar, Adams
Mark Herman, Zumbro, Rochester
Cindy Cordes-Eversole, Bethlehem, Lanesboro
Katie Butler, Southeastern Minnesota Synod
Introduction - By crime prevention specialist
Darrel Hildebrant of the Rochester Police Department.
As a basic summary of the meeting, we
learned that a congregation can never be too careful, you have to think
about every detail, and there are always more things you could do to be
safer. Below are some specifics that were covered.
Click here
to view the slides from the presentation.
About Crimes in Churches
Although there is a natural desire to view
religious facilities as sanctuaries from crime, houses of worship have the
same potential to be criminally victimized as other elements of society.
Two Kinds:
Burglary
Burglary is usually the most frequent crime
against houses of worship. Houses of worship often have valuable sound
systems and audiovisual equipment, computers, office equipment, etc.
Criminal Assault
Many criminals enter during church functions
to check things out and/or to hide. Some even sit in the sanctuary
pretending to pray while really watching what goes on in the building.
Criminals don't care that it's a church.
There has been some criminal assault on
staff, but usually in larger metropolitan areas like the Twin Cities. It
has not really happened around here.
By virtue of their beliefs, churches can
become the victims of hate crimes.
Churches also tend to carry items of value
(audio/visual equipment, computers, etc.) as well as money from offerings
and other collections.
Embezzlement and misappropriation of funds
is another common form of crime against churches. Make sure to protect
yourself by having multiple people oversee finances and do an annual
audit.
People taking offering to the bank are also
robbed.
Criminals know that churches tend to have
bad inventory and won't miss one of five VCRs (for example).
Things You Can Do
Ask questions. Many criminals get
away with burglary because no one ever asks questions.
Eliminate hiding places, make
sure to open the doors of the bathroom stalls when closing up.
Lock any rooms that don't have to be
open. This includes classrooms, conference rooms, and bathrooms in parts
of the church that aren't being used.
Ideally, have a buzzer at the door (with a
monitor or the staff in sight of the door) during the week. Just having
staff being able to see the door means there are times if they are gone to
the restroom, lunch, etc. that the door is unobserved.
Don't leave collection jars out. Even if
they're too big to carry, they can be broken and the money taken.
Use Plexiglas instead of regular glass.
Put deadbolts on all doors. Also, the strike
plate (the metal part on the door frame that receives the deadbolt) should
have three screws on each the top and bottom and long enough to go into
the wall studs so they are not broken off.
Lock all audio/visual and music equipment in
a designated room.
Put away and lock up all stuff used for
youth groups. Kids tell their friends and anything visible from windows is
a target to be stolen.
Keep a good inventory of especially
audio/visual and other electronic equipment. Include the serial numbers
and model numbers.
Also get an
OPERATION ID number for all items and keep that on the inventory. This
both prevents things from being stolen and helps you get them back if they
are.
Criminals look for wires to find motion
detectors and alarms. Those with alarms are less likely to be broken into.
Have a panic alarm system. This is the
button that can be pushed to immediately call the police. Ideally this is
around staff members' necks. ADT is one
company that does these.
Provide a locked cabinet for purses of
people working/volunteering, especially in the kitchen and changing rooms
during weddings. Some criminals watch the newspaper or just drive around
looking for weddings and funerals, knowing there are likely cards with
money in them and other unattended valuables.
Ask the police to do a premise analysis to
look for any weak spots in security.
Protect people taking deposits to the bank:
count money in a visible area
carry in a non-discriminate bag
send two cars, the one with the money in
front (some criminals will rear-end the car and take the money), the
second car should have a cell phone
it's not recommended to walk the money, but
if it's necessary, send two people, the one with the money in front, the
second one with the cell phone out
vary the routine for when the money goes
Keep personnel files (which have information
like SSNs) in a bolted-down safe.
Electronic key control (the plastic cards
instead of metal keys) registers the name and time of who enters. There is
a large initial investment for this.
Stay firm on key control policies.
Have a volunteer door monitor at events.
This is also great hospitality! Once meetings start and people who should
be there are, the door can be locked. This person can also do other things
like stuff envelopes.
Lock up the communion wine.
Lock up kitchen knives.
Lock janitors closets as chemicals can be
used to damage the church, harm people, or to get high.
Beepers or bells on exterior doors helps
keep track of people in the building.
Cover windows (blinds, curtains, etc.) so
potential thieves can't see if there's anything valuable.
Put lights on a timer.
Color cameras in stairwells, halls, and
doors help monitor who is in the building.
Secure and enclose the outside garbage to
prevent "dumpster divers" or identity thieves.
Have a confetti or cross cut paper shredder,
not just a straight line one.
Put mirrors in coat rooms and stairways so
people can't hide.
Fasten the safe to the floor and/or wall.
Outside
Keep trees trimmed, preferably no branches
lower than 7'. -
Keep other landscaping to 2'.
-
Evergreens are bad unless the bottom
branches trimmed off (too easy to hide behind).
If you need an enclosure or to hide
something (dumpster, generator, etc.), put a decorative wrought iron fence
up. It is attractive and people can't hide behind it like a solid fence.
It really does hide large things too! -
Lock up any ladders kept outside.
-
Put motion lights outside and put them up
high so the light bulb can't be unscrewed.
Have lights in the parking lot and always
have some one, preferably toward the back so those who parked back there
can still see. Keep in mind what kind of lights you use. Flood lights can
actually prevent people driving by from seeing if something is going on.
Park a vehicle at the church at different
times and different spots. Maybe a neighbor needs a place to park? This
suggests someone is there.
Ask neighbors to keep an eye on the church
and report suspicious activity. Also ask members to drive by the church.
Make sure to tell the police about scheduling drive-throughs so they
aren't suspicious!
Ask police to drive by, especially if
something looks suspicious.
During Worship
Keep all keys and purses with you. People
have come in, dug through pockets and purses, taken keys, push the button
to find the right vehicle, and stolen the car and/or things from the car.
Some recommend taking purses/wallets/keys up
to communion because they have been stolen during worship.
Buzzers (like they have in restaurants) in
nurseries to page parents.
Keep a phone in the nursery. This is mostly
in case of medical emergency, but crimes too. If a regular phone can't be
installed, a disconnected (but charged!) cell phone can still call 911.
People Asking for Handouts
Some communities have networks to report
people asking for money to keep tabs on the people abusing the system.
Rochester has an online forum for this.
Don't keep money or vouchers on premise and
post a sign saying so. This will keep out the people looking for a quick
fix away and only bring people who really need them.
Give vouchers and/or gift cards instead of
money.
Get a copy of driver's license and/or proof
of insurance (for gas vouchers) to help control who you've had come in by
looking at photo (names aren't always enough).
Have the pastor tell them that if they're in
the front row next Sunday they might get a voucher! (said in jest, but
does tend to work...)
Submitted by
Communications Director
Southeastern Minnesota Synod, ELCA |
