We all want to trust the leaders in our church, and most of the time we can. But have you ever felt shamed by one, sat through toxic teachings you were too afraid to question, or confided in a leader only to have your trust betrayed? We don’t always recognize these...
Reflecting on my three-decade journey encompassing threat and crisis management alongside my vocation as an Episcopal priest, I am struck by the profound lessons gleaned from the intersection of these roles. This amalgamation has imparted to me a deep understanding of...
Imagine walking into an elementary school and noticing a classroom door permanently unlocked, secured not by a lock but by several layers of duct tape. This is exactly what my team encountered during a recent vulnerability assessment at a high school in Minnesota....
In our faith communities, discussions often skirt around the grittier realities that thread through our society. We don’t like to talk about domestic violence, child sexual abuse, drug addiction, or financial fraud, but those and other crimes are happening in our...
Altronix, the recognized leader in power and data transmission products for the professional security industry, announces its new NetWay3024P compact PoE adapter. The NetWay3024P uses a PoE+ input, to provide simultaneous 24VDC and PoE/PoE+ over a single structured...
On a quiet Sunday, February 11th, at approximately 1:53 PM, silence at Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas, was shattered by gunfire. This church, widely known as the home of Joel Osteen's mega congregation and housed in the former Compaq Center, welcomes over 45,000...
In safeguarding our sacred spaces, the cornerstone isn't just a robust emergency operations plan—it's knowing the crucial elements that transform it from basic to comprehensive. The question I encounter most is not if we need a plan, but rather, what should it...
The Reverend Tim Kingsley is the Canon Pastor at St. Mark’s Cathedral in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He has over 30 years of experience in crisis and security management, including serving as a senior leader in the field and as a volunteer first responder during 9/11....
viisights, Inc., a global leader in behavioral recognition video analytics, is proud to join the ZeroNow coalition, a movement by the safety community to reduce violence in schools, as an industry partner. viisights’ participation in the ZeroNow alliance marks a...
Welcome to the second January edition of Security Connections. In my last editorial, we looked back over 2023, recapping security for churches with schools, the creation of a threat assessment team, and the importance of training your staff and volunteers on how to...
These 4 steps can help you create a place where people feel safe to be vulnerable in their worship
Introduction In 1964, folk singer Bob Dylan wrote “The Times They Are a-Changin.” His assessment has never been more compelling. Active shooter threats are becoming more frequent and more sophisticated, and Houses of Worship (HoW) have not escaped the violence. The...
Last week, a client we mentored through the Non-Profit Security Grant (NSGP) process received a $125,000 award from their State Administrative Agency (SAA) for security improvements. Can you visualize the heightened safety and peace of mind this could bring to your...
Media coverage of the horrific slaughter by active shooters (AS) has become a distressingly regular part of our reality. After each attack, calls abound for more stringent gun control, armed guards in schools, better officer training, renewed efforts to address the...
On March 27, 2023, a chill ran down America's spine when Aiden Hale, born Audrey Elizabeth Hale, open fired on the Presbyterian Covenant School in Nashville, Tennessee. Three innocent children and three adults became victims of another heartbreaking incident at an...
In the realm of church safety and security, it's common to hear the need for better protection of our building perimeters. This sentiment arises after tragic church attacks or when incidents like theft or assault are reported to have occurred. While the secular world...
Our churches are sanctuaries of love, peace, fellowship, and comfort, so our attendance is a source of personal and community edification; and because of the Great Commission, we are open and welcoming. At the same time, however, myriad challenges face them. These...
Iris ID's, IrisAccess™ iCAM 7S Series of Advanced Multifactor Biometric Iris Readers are the first iris biometric devices tested and verifiedto meet the Security Industry Association (SIA) Open Supervised Device Protocol (OSDP) Secure Profile communications standard...
The tragic events that occurred at the Presbyterian Covenant School in Nashville, Tennessee in April 2023 served as a stark reminder of the importance of protecting the safety and security of students and staff in churches with attached schools. As a church with a...
The 2023 Church Facilities Expo (CFX) is looking for church leaders who are passionate about helping others! Come share your tips and strategies that will help attendees build their skills and training so they can focus more on their mission and less on the...
The Viakoo Action Platform delivers video and access control service assurance to eliminate missing video and access failures while automating firmware updates and certificate management for improved cyber hygiene. “Our award-winning Action Platform is constantly...
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