Church Security Job Opportunity - Detroit Metro

From: Monster

Church Chief Security Officer - Detroit Metro - Triumph Church

Job Purpose: To supervise, plan, organize and coordinate security staff to ensure the safety for people and property of Triumph Church.

Duties:

•        Oversee the continuous monitoring and protection of facilities, personnel and information systems.  Evaluate suspected security breaches and recommend corrective actions.

•        Serve as a general security presence and visible deterrent to crime and rule of infractions.

•        Detect suspicious activities

•        Watch for criminal acts or rule infractions at or near given post which may be a threat to the facility, clients, members, or employees.

•        Supervise the activities of security team.

•        Develop, present, and implement approved policies, standards and guidelines related to church security to direct report.

•        Serve as the church focal point for security incident response planning and execution.

•        Assist in the development of appropriate criteria needed to assess the level of new/existing technology infrastructure elements for compliance with church security standards.

•        Arrange security team work schedules in order to maintain order as well as protect the staff, people and property of Triumph Church.

•        Evaluate changes to church environment for security impact and present findings to direct report.

•        Observe workers in performance of duties to evaluate efficiency and to detect and correct inefficient work practices.

•        Conducts investigations and prepares detailed reports concerning matters investigated.

•         Expected to attend assigned staff meetings, give and receive information; participate in problem solving; provide recommendations for policy changes and program development to direct report.

•         Consistently working to meet the mission and core values of Triumph Church with enthusiasm and a spirit of cooperation. 

•         Responsible for performing any other duties as assigned.

Job Requirements:

·         Bachelor’s degree required and/or related 5-10 years of working experience.

·         In-depth knowledge of security operations, policies, and procedures

·         Law enforcement, corporate security, military, or government agencyexperience preferred

·         Some Tactical Training

·         Demonstrated ability to develop and implement information security policies, procedures, standards, and practices.

·         Implementation experience with security technologies and architecture, including encryption, network security, firewall configuration, intrusion detection, data loss prevention and application security.

·         Professional demeanor and appearance

·         Basic Word, Excel and PowerPoint

Think About It: What Does a Church Security agent look like?

What Does a Church Security agent look like?

By: Carl Chinn

I have been blessed by being able to travel to many states meeting many church security teams from multiple denominations. I’ve seen big churches with small teams and small churches with big teams.

What always interests me is to see the many backgrounds of folks who serve in this capacity. Of course there are often those with some sort of law enforcement or military experiences, but I know many churches that have none from such resource pools available, or too few to make a whole team. Those churches have creative service from folks with backgrounds in the construction trades, building services, real estate, agriculture, manufacturing, engineering, airlines and automotive services, and other trades of all types.

One of the most effective security directors I know is a man in California who is a former convict. He is now on the pastoral staff of an evangelical church, with a heart of protection. He wouldn’t pass muster or clear a background for most security teams, and he can never own a firearm. But if I were to have my own dream-team of agents, he would be on that team. The LAPD obviously feels the same way as he works with their gang unit as they try together to turn young kids’ lives.


Think About It…

• All protectors have one thing in common -- that heart for protection.

• Most protectors have another thing in common. The overwhelming majority have children of their own. There is no experience like that of having children to awaken the protective nature in an adult.

• Those who know me well know I have tremendous respect for law enforcement and military – I come from a family of both. But I will not tolerate any in those fields who feel they have an exclusive in protection abilities. Officers who work well with civilian service used to be rare. There are still a few from that old school (I’ve met some), but most recognize there is nothing like a dedicated person with a heart of protection to keep congregations safe.

• If you have a heart for protection, and a desire to serve please do not let a lack of official training stop you from pursuing an appointment as a church security agent. Some of the greatest stories came from people who were thrust into a role they had no background in. Ronald Reagan was criticized for being an actor when he got into politics, and none of Christ’s disciples came through seminary.

• If you are a law enforcement officer or military qualified agent running a team, please don’t overlook the heart of passion for others who wish to serve. If they can listen and follow the can be a great asset to your team. 

1 Killed in Weekend Church Shooting

Pastor's mother killed after gunman opens fire in church

From: Fox News

{A pastor's mother was shot and killed when a gunman opened fire in a Colorado church Sunday, FOX 31 reports.

Yolanda Marant, a representative for The Destiny Center, confirmed to FOX 31 that 65-year-old Josephine Eccles, the mother of the church's pastor Delono Straham, was shot and killed when a unknown gunman entered the church and began shooting.}

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Teen Robs Church of Money

From: Fox Ten News

{Santa Rosa County Sheriff's Deputies said an Alabama teen was arrested after allegedly robbing a church in Pace.

Church leaders said the suspect, identified as 17-year-old Samuel Aaron Riley, went into Immanuel Baptist Church looking for help with gas money...

Church Administrator Andy Needles said dinner was wrapping up so they offered the teen a plate and he declined. Needles said they were making arrangements to give him some cash, when Riley grabbed the money box.}

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Roanoke Church Targeted: Theft

From: WSLS News

{A Roanoke church was the target of a burglar overnight. Now, police are asking for your help to track down a suspect.

Sometime between 7:30pm Saturday and 8:30am Sunday, someone smashed the glass front door to the Galilee Baptist Church Ministry in the Plaza of Roanoke-Salem shopping center on Melrose.

They then took a jar full of money the church says it was collecting to buy a van. An envelope of money they had hoped to use for a radio ministry was also taken.}

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Church Responds During Moment of Need!

From: WRAL News

{RALEIGH, N.C. — Highland Baptist Church in Raleigh is choosing to remember the deadly tornadoes that slammed the state one year ago by celebrating their disaster relief efforts.

"It's a celebration of how God used this church to respond immediately (to tornado victims)," said Lin Honeycutt, a member of the church and a volunteer with the North Carolina Baptist Men.

The Baptist Men are trained in disaster relief efforts and were one of the leading groups sending resources and volunteers into tornado-ravaged areas. Of the group's 13,000 volunteers statewide, 68 are members of Highland Baptist. }

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5 Killed in Storms: Tornados

From: ABC News

{Three children under the age of 10 are among the five found dead in an Oklahoma town after violent storms ripped through several states in the nation's mid-section.

Even as crews work to clean up the damage across the region today, residents braced for more violent weather that was in the forecast. Three new tornado warnings have been issued until 11 p.m. that include Minneapolis, Minn.; Little Rock, Ark.; and St. Louis, Mo.}

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How can your church reach out and help your local community?

Background Checks Facts and Statistics

From: HR Screening Services

Background Checks Facts and Statistics 

1) Workplace Violence - According to the Justice Department, While working or on duty, U.S. residents experienced 1.7 million violent victimizations annually from 1993 to 1999 including 1.3 millionsimple assaults, 325,000 aggravated assaults, 36,500 rapes and sexual assaults, 70,000 robberies, and 900homicides. Workplace violence accounted for 18% of all violent crime between 1993 to 1999. 

2) Employee Theft - 33% of employees admit to stealing a product or money from jobs in the last three years. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce estimates dishonesty by employees costs 1%-2% of gross sales. It is estimated that 30% of business failures are directly related to employee theft.

3) Negligent Hiring Liability - Negligent Hiring damages may be awarded against an employer if an employee commits a criminal act and it is found that the Employer failed to perform a reasonable search into the employee's background prior to hiring. One of the most famous cases involved a company named Trusted Health who did not conduct a background check on a Nurse's aide who has six previous larceny convictions. The Aide fatally beat and stabbed one of the residents. Trusted Health was found liable for 26.5 million dollars for not performing a background check.

4) Lost productivity and training costs - The cost of hiring, training, and then terminating one employee can be very expensive. According to William M. Mercer, Inc., turnover costs a minimum of $10,000; 20% of respondents indicated turnover costs exceed $20,000.

5) Falsified employment applications and resumes - Applicants tend to stretch the truth. Our in-house statistics reveal that over 35% of the applications and resumes that we process reveal a distortion!

Click for Background Check Information

Caught on Tape... Security Camera Stolen

From: Pasadena Star News

{NORWALK - Detectives are asking for the public's help in identifying the two men who stole two security cameras from a local church last month.

The suspects' faces were captured on video as they were stealing the second iMax security camera. Stills from the surveillance video were released Wednesday.}

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Pastor Stabbed During Church Event

From: KOMO News

{TACOMA, Wash. -- A Tacoma pastor is in serious condition after being stabbed by a church member Tuesday night.

Tacoma police spokesman Mark Fulghum said the stabbing happened at about 8:30 p.m. during a church event at the Slavic Christian Center.

Fulghum said a man at the event asked to speak with the pastor. The two men went to the pastor's office, where the conversation turned into a confrontation that ended when the man stabbed the pastor in the back.

The attacker ran from the church and has yet to be apprehended, according to Fulghum.

The pastor, who has not been named, was transported to a local hospital with with serious but not life-threatening injuries.}

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Gunshot Victim Collapses in Church

From: WPTV 5

{Fighting for her life Tuesday night after police said she was shot during a fight in the 1200 block of West 28th Street in Riviera Beach. The injured girl attempted to run, investigators said, but later collapsed in the Hilltop Baptist Church parking, lot just before 5:30 p.m.}

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Wisconsin Church Fire No Accident

From: Post Crescent 

{A fire at Klondike Community Church last month was not accidental, authorities said Tuesday.

The investigation is continuing, according to the State Fire Marshal's office and the Oconto County Sheriff's Department, which are seeking the public's help with the probe.

However, the agencies said they had one clue.

"Information has been received that shortly before the fire was reported, a small dark-colored vehicle was seen parked in the church parking lot," a statement issued by the agencies said.

"Initial investigative results indicate the fire was not accidental," the statement said.}

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Think About It Series: A Time to Speak

A Time to Speak…

By: Carl Chinn

More than 30 years ago I read the book, “A Day no Pigs Would Die” by Robert Peck. It was the story of growing up under the guidance of a sometimes harsh, but constantly wise and strong father. As the young lad was venturing out of the county for his first time to attend the state fair, his dad told him to “never miss a chance to keep your mouth shut”.

As I recall that little bit of wisdom, I also recall Ecclesiastes 3;

(1) There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens:
(2) a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
(3) a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
(4) a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
(5) a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
(6) a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
(7) a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
(8) a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.

On 3/25/12 we saw an amazing story come out of Boiling Springs, South Carolina. Jesse Gates had come to the church about 10:00 that Sunday morning, and complained of heart trouble. He asked the pastor to call the local news channel.

The pastor called 911 instead. EMS responders checked him over and released him without treatment, so Gates left the church.

But the pastor’s Grandson, 26-year-old Aaron Guyton remained vigilant. He was observant enough to notice when Gates returned at 11:20 and saw him pull a shotgun out of his car.

Young Guyton began to lock down the church and was prepared with a weapon of his own. When Gates kicked through side doors of the church, he was quickly overpowered by Jesse Smith and Leland Powers as Aaron held him at bay with his own weapon. Even the pastor got in on “the takedown” as he came over the railings at the front of the pulpit and took the shotgun from the attacker.

No shots were ever fired.

What struck me most about this story was waiting a couple weeks to see if young Aaron would make the media splatter. He never did other than answering a couple public questions right after the incident. This young man has established a model the church security operators everywhere should take note of.

I tip my hat to the wisdom of this young man and the others in Boiling Springs, SC.

Think about it;

~ There is no record of Aaron Guyton being overzealous on protection. He was quiet before and after the incident, but he was a serious agent of protection. We see a contrast here between this case and the George Zimmerman / Travon Martin case.

~ Every church security team should have a policy that nobody talks to the media after an incident without special permission from the pastor. That pastor should exercise wisdom in considering the timing of public news releases. Give the scenario time before coming out with news.

~ The pastor is also to be commended for recognizing the real issue, and not just following the request to call the news. He responded correctly at several opportunities that day – the marks of a true leader.

~ Adrenalin forces tunnel vision, and few things trigger tunnel vision like a gun in the hands of an angry person. A gun in the hands of a protector also triggers tunnel vision for an attacker – it gets his attention taking it away from innocent others. We can’t stop every gunman from entering a sanctuary, but we can hope for more protectors like Aaron Guyton.

~ As you think about the characters on your security team, think about the media that will occur should there be a use of deadly force. The world will probably never know the truth behind the Zimmerman / Martin case because it has spun so far out of control that it will now be resolved by whoever gets the most powerful attorney. What we do know is that it has an element of sensationalism that isn’t helping the agent of protection in this case. I’ve said it before, I will say it again – be careful of using zealous security operators. I don’t like using the Zimmerman case as a model, because it looks to me like he has been given an unfair shake. But that is my point, fair or not, the character of security agents will impact your story in the event of a serious incident.

~ There is a time to be silent, and a time to speak. When in doubt, don’t miss the opportunity to be quiet.

Together for the Gospel Contributes $2.4 Million Towards Local Economy

From: The Lane Report

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — {More than 8,000 pastors and ministers from around the country will converge upon Louisville for the 2012 Together for the Gospel Conference (T4G).

The conference is the second to utilize both The Kentucky International Convention Center and KFC Yum! Center, both Kentucky State Fair Board managed facilities. The Conference began in 2006 by four pastors with the goal of encouraging other church leaders to stand together for the same gospel.

One of the founders is Dr. Albert Mohler, President of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville. Since 2006 the conference has grown by nearly 3,000 attendees, and boasts 4,682 total committed room nights at area hotels, with an estimated total economic impact of $2.4 million.

"It’s a really unique conference; we have church leaders from all over the country from different ministries and denominations that come together and are excited to learn about one another,” said Conference Director Paul Medler. “It is a great experience for all involved and we are really looking forward to it.”}

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My Thoughts: T4G is a conference that I have been involved with for the last 6 years. I decided to post this article to illustrate the economic impact that a large conference can have on the surrounding area. When hosting a conference or event safety and security needs to be a concern for the host committee. Feel free to email me for more information on how to get started for your upcoming event. brian@securityatchurch.com 

Mars Hill Church Vandalized Easter Weekend

Church officials sent KOMO News this statement following the incident:

"This morning between 7am and 9am the front door of the Mars Hill U-District Church was tagged with hateful remarks claiming that Mars Hill hates women. We're saddened that someone has chosen to voice their opinions through criminal activity. Nevertheless, we are excited to celebrate the resurrection of our Lord Jesus and invite everyone to come celebrate with us at one of our 11 locations in the Seattle area. I'd also like to say we love women as sisters in Christ, including the many deacons who serve as leaders at Mars Hill."

-Justin Dean
Community Relations Director
Mars Hill Church    

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My Thoughts: What would your church do in a similar incident? Do you have a plan in place for how you will interact with the local community or press when accused of doing wrong? 

Think About It Series: All That Glitters

All That Glitters… 

By: Carl Chinn

With recent political activity, we are seeing a new form of public disturbance. Glitter bombs are something security teams of prominent ministries should be prepared for, especially if the organization is outspoken on social issues.

I was there in 1996 when a well-known ministry leader got glitter bombed. It was his 60th birthday, and it was his wife who “bombed” him with glitter. He wore that glitter proudly all day and we all had a lot of fun with it.

But recent glitter bombings are not intended as the playful fun we witnessed then. These antagonists seek to embarrass leaders who stand for moral values contrary to theirs, disrupt them in their environment, and make a media or YouTube spectacle in the process.

All conservative political candidates have been "glittered" in recent weeks. There is typically an accomplice with a cell phone video capturing the images for YouTube as the bomber showers the target with some substance (glitter like that used for decorations, or flour in some cases) shouting "stop the hate" or similar chants.

The carry the glitter in some form of small container or box which they can shake over or toss towards the target. Sometimes they throw an Easter egg filled with glitter or fabricate a spring loaded launcher from a toilet paper role spindle.

Watch for two people -- one may be positioning to take video as the other carries forthe the act itself. Larger bombs (such as a filled cereal box that was dumped over Newt Gingrich) may be carried in a pouch, but others won't be seen until the attacker brings it out of their pocket.


Think About It…

~ Have your ministry leaders think beforehand what they may do or say if they get “hit”. A video of Newt Gingrich is a great model. As security was escorting the glitter bomber away, he just casually swept it off saying, “it’s good to live in a free country” and continued signing books as if nothing had happened.

~ If you experience it, your response may make YouTube. You don’t want your church security team or the glitter target watched nationally as over-reacting.

~ Prosecution would be the same as for other forms of disturbance.

~ Even the secret service hasn’t seen the attacks coming or been able to stop them. Be prepared to observe it developing if possible, but focus more on quick action after – that is the more likely scenario.

~ Disorderly surprises can be glitter bombs, a nude woman suddenly beside your pastor (it happens), condoms being thrown through your congregation (it happens), or activists yelling through the congregation (it happens). It is always good to have your leadership and security team make pre-decisions regarding how they might respond if…

~ These activists want to have the public see your own reaction as an embarrassment. Don’t give them that opportunity.

Memphis Church Burglary Spree

From: WREG Memphis

"A total of 11 burglaries into churches near the Tate and Marshall County line have investigators and all community churches on high alert.

In the last month and a half, seven Marshall County churches and four Tate County churches have all been broken into. Some of them had valuable items stolen, like laptops, flat screen TVs, and even X Box consoles from the youth rooms."

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Note: Physical security precautions like alarm systems, cameras, and door locks can help prevent similar burglaries at your church facility. Email me if you need more information on specifics for your church building.

Sheriff: Concealed Weapon Saves Church From Man Armed With Shotgun

From: CBS Charlotte
"A South Carolina sheriff is praising a man with a concealed weapons permit who helped disarm someone who kicked in the door of a church armed with a shotgun."

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Note: Many comments have come into me asking for information on how many incidents occur at churches involving concealed weapons. Unfortunately, there has never been an easy way to respond to this. This story does point to a good outcome for having a concealed weapon in a church.  

NOCSSM - Armed Church Security Teams

The below letter is from Chuck Chadwick of The National Organization of Church Safety and Security Management. Chuck was asked to contribute to our series on Guns in Church. I am a little behind in posting this article, but still wanted it to be available here for you to read.


Armed Church Security Teams -
What is legal? Who is liable? Who is qualified?
By: Chuck Chadwick, NOCSSM

Dear Brian, Recently I was asked to contribute to a series of articles about Guns in churches by our friend Brian Gallagher of "SecurityatChurch.com".  Due to travel and time restrictions we were unable to respond, but we read all the responses from others. I think good points were made about the necessity of a security program and the need to have, what we call, "Intervention Capable" reactors/responders as part of a Security Team. From our contacts within thousands of churches we have seen the entire gambit of inventive solutions that churches have come up with.  Some mega-churches hire dozens of active local police officers to be present during services, both uniformed and plain clothes.  Some rely on off duty law enforcement congregation members.  Some rely on volunteer civilian "Concealed Carry" individuals. The main areas of concern are, First - what is legal in your state? Second - who's liable if something goes wrong, as in a shooting of innocent bystanders? Third - what should be the measure of who is qualified to be in this "Intervention Capable" (pronounced "Armed") role? What is legal? As pointed out in the various responses to Brian's request for opinions, each state may have different laws that dictate the legality of arming a Security team.  Texas requires a private security license while Colorado requires only a Concealed Handgun permit. Who is Liable? The first thing we think of when approaching this issue is "Insurance".  When active law enforcement or private security shoots someone, intentional or not, the majority of the liability will rest first on the local municipal government or the private security company's insurance.  With any other individual the liability will rest on the individual and the church that authorized the security team. Numerous insurance companies have dedicated entire web sites and resources to Church Security and Safety issues.  Understand that it is not in the interest of these insurers to promote "armed civilian security teams" as this increases the risk that they might have to pay a claim against the church. However, as much as they might resist, numerous insurers are "insuring" these civilian concealed carry permit teams as a part of their coverage.   Who's qualified? In the resources provided by the insurance companies there are only vague references to "Training", but no clear path to what is "adequate" for training. The typical course of police training in Texas consists of 576 hours of training in subjects ranging from fitness to firearms.  The typical course of private security training in Texas consists of 60 hours of training. The typical Conceal Handgun Permit requires only 8 hours of training.  Some states don't even require the individual to fire a handgun. Several years ago we saw the need for some type of training that would serve as a standard for church security teams that was both legal and acceptable to insurance companies.  After working with one particular insurance company for two years and investing thousands in research and development we were left high and dry by the company's management and threatened with law suits. That is when we retreated to our present platform which meets the Texas state private security requirements and abandoned any hope of working with any insurance company to promote a national standard. Conclusion /Opinion - Because of the challenges involved with developing a recognized national standard of "qualifications" we do not believe there is an easy answer for churches who want clear path to an acceptable program of qualifications and training needed for armed church security teams. All of our efforts have gone into adhering to each state's requirements for professional security licensing of individuals to perform armed commercial security work for churches.  This way we are leaving the training and certification standards to the state and not someone's opinion. About the author: Chuck Chadwick founded the National Organization for Church Security and Safety Management (NOCSSM) www.nocssm.org  in 2002.  He is also president of Gatekeepers Security Services (GSS) www.gatekeeperssecurity.com and the Christian Security Institute (CSI) www.christiansi.org.  GSS being a state licensed security services company and CSI a state licensed security training school.