Preventing Church Crime

The Bible clearly says to “foresee danger and plan ahead” (Proverbs 22:3), not once, but three times. That’s the message that the Christian Security Network is trying to drive home as they release statistics concerning church crime in the United States.

Here’s a look at the stats, as reported by The Christian Post. There were at least 1,237 crimes committed against Christian churches and ministries in the U.S. this past year ranging in severity from vandalism to violent crimes. The Network also reports that church burglaries resulted in an estimated $24 million in property loss.

In addition, the report, Crimes Against Christian Organizations in the United States, found that burglaries were the most common crime, with 779 incidents making up 63% of all crimes reported against churches, followed by 149 thefts (12%) and 98 cases of arson (8%).

“It is disheartening to see all these incidents and loss of life in churches in 2009 and even sadder because we know 2010 isn’t going to be any different unless the status-quo changes,” said Jeff Hawkins, executive director of the Christian Security Network.

Hawkins, a 30-year veteran of law enforcement and security, went on to say that criminals do not care that they are targeting a church, but see them as soft targets.

“The church is supposed to be a place of peace and protection. Many of these incidents just didn’t have to happen. With a few precautions, changes in operations, and training of staff and volunteers, they may have been averted.” To combat against these crimes, Christian Security Network has a list of 10 things church organizations should know about security and emergency planning -

1. It can happen to you – in the 2009, the Christian Security Network documented 13 deaths, 50 acts of violence, almost 100 arsons, and property crimes resulting in tens of millions of dollars in losses. Add to that, the risks of medical emergencies and that makes a big risk factor for the church.

2. You need a plan – you need formal plans to address security and emergency risks, however two-thirds of churches do not have them. The plans should church risks including traveling abroad on mission trips.

3. Threats are increasing – according to the U.S. State Department, Faith-Based Organizations are now
one of the top five “at risk” sectors in the world, beating many other secular industries.

4. You have liability – besides the implications of injury and loss of life, there is liability that every Christian organization faces if there are not plans, policies and procedures put into place to protect staff, volunteers, and guests.

5. Determine your risks – before any measures are put into place, a risk assessment must be completed. Because each church is different the risks and plans will vary.

6. Use free resources – consult with your insurance company, local law enforcement, and emergency
services when doing your risk assessment. They are free and may open your eyes to risks you may not
even be aware.

7. Five plans you must adopt – at a minimum, you must develop plans and procedures to address 1.) Emergency Evacuation 2.) Shelter-in-Place 3.) Medical emergencies 4.) Lost/Missing Children
5.) Violent confrontations (or “active shooter”).

8. Background checks – you must have an effective and accurate program in place to screen all staff and volunteers.

9. Training – once plans are developed, they must be communicated and practiced regularly by all staff and volunteers. Remember, in an emergency, people do what people practice.

10. Funding – there are grants for security and emergency programs, however most Christian organizations never apply for them.