Update your Security Plan
Just in Time for Easter Season
The Easter season is an exciting time of year for churches celebrating the Christian faith’s highlight. Many churches host events and services that are out of the ordinary since they expect to bring more people into the church or parish. Ensure that you have heightened basic security measures for all of these larger gatherings—the kids’ Easter egg hunt, the Passion play performance, and even Easter morning worship services.
Here are a few necessary security measures to consider:
- Implement a plan: Make sure you have a plan for addressing security concerns. Enlisting the help of a security expert can give you a valuable third-party viewpoint. Work together with staff and professionals to delegate responsibilities, institute preventative measures, and determine the proper response during a crisis. A working plan will be the foundation from which you build a strong security policy.
- Role-play responses during a “trigger event:” It’s helpful to think through possible threat scenarios before they occur so that everyone is prepared to act accordingly should something happen. Define several “trigger events” and communicate with staff, volunteers, and security personnel the appropriate response. It should cover the range of possibilities from someone leaving a hateful comment on a livestream to a tornado alert sounds to a person entering the building with a visible weapon. Knowing what to do in each type of situation means a safer outcome for all in the event of an emergency.
- Stay alert: During events, ensure all security personnel (church members, staff, or law enforcement) are trained and communicating with one another. Everyone should be on high alert and should share any suspicious activity immediately.
- Know your property inside and out: All entrances and exits should be monitored and/or locked. Beware of any back or side entrances and propped-open doors. Any of these can give easy access to someone who may otherwise be questioned if they entered through the front door. Have online volunteers understand where people hold discussions and comments to monitor activity and quickly delete or block any harmful participation. Bonus, they can help foster healthy conversation and full engagement online!
- Screen all volunteers and staff: Everyone working in your church—whether employees or volunteers—should have a thorough background check. You want to make sure that those entrusted with the care of the people in your congregation are safe and do not pose any risk for harm.
You can easily perform all types of background checks with Realm. We have partnered with Verified First to provide your church with the most comprehensive background checks available. This service integrates seamlessly into Realm and makes it super simple to run thorough background checks on anyone in your church directory or anyone you may be considering for your staff.
You choose the types of checks to run, including national criminal records, sex offender registries, Interpol, terrorist, FBI watch lists, driving records, and more.
With basic security planning and concrete security measures in place, your church’s spring activities—online and in person—should be safe and fun for everyone.