LIFE SAFETY AT YOUR CHURCH

1
LIFE SAFETY AT YOUR CHURCH

• COPING WITH TODAYS REALITIES
• Detective Pat Heine
• Pueblo Police Department
• 719-553-2519
• pheine_at_pueblo.us

2
PHILOSOPHY

• A BALANCE MUST BE ACHIEVED BETWEEN THE CHURCHS
  MISSION AND CRIME PREVENTION EFFORTS
• COOPERATION
• CRIME PREVENTION IS THE ANTICIPATION, RECOGNITION
  AND APPRAISEL OF A CRIME RISK AND THE INITIATION
  OF SOME ACTION TO REMOVE OR REDUCE IT.

3
REALITY

• CHURCHES CORNERSTONE FOR MANY COMMUNITIES
• SACRED FOR SOME PRIME TARGETS FOR OTHERS
• DOING VIOLENCE IN GODS HOUSE
• PLAN FOR THE WORST PRAY (HARD) FOR THE BEST

4
FOCUS ON SECURITY

• I am sending you out as sheep among wolves.
  Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent
  as doves.
• Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 10, verse 16
• IN ORDER TO DO GODS WORK

5
EMOTIONAL IMPACT

• SHOCK AND DISBELIEF
• DISORIENTATION
• LACK OF CONTROL
• FEAR
• ANGER
• OVER-REACTION
• RECOVERY
• FAITH
• THE LORD HELPS THOSE WHO HELP THEMSELVES

6
STATISTICS FROM ALL OVER

• YEAR-TO-DATE 800 INCIDENTS, 8 DEATHS,
  25 M PROPERTY DAMAGE
• 45 ACTS OF ARSON
• 14 VIOLENT OR THREATENING INCIDENTS
  39 states report 141 incidents VanZandt Newsvine
• 0909 5 AC UNITS TAKEN--IN
• BRIEFCASE FULL OF STOLEN--FL
• PASTOR SHOOTS, WOUNDS INTRUDERMI
• TWO CHURCHES ROBBEDDE
• GAMES, AUDIO EQUIPMENT STOLENPA
• CROOKS NABBED LOOTINGCA
• PARKING LOT BURGLARIESCA
• 1009 WOMAN GIVES CHURCH A CHECK STOLEN FROM
  PURSE IN THE PEW
• INFORMATION TAKEN FROM THE CHRISTIAN SECURITY
  NETWORK.

7
TRAGEDIES

• TWENTY CHURCH SHOOTINGS IN THE LAST DECADE
• MINISTER SHOT, MAN WOUNDED OUTSIDE CHURCH IN
  KENTUCKY
• MAN WEARING BULLET-PROOF VEST SHOT IN HEAD IN
  CHURCH KANSAS
• PASTOR TARGETED, DIES
• TWO DIE, 7 WOUNDED IN UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST
  CHURCH CHILDRENS PRODUCTION
• FOUR DIE IN TWO LOCATIONS COLORADO
• LIVING CHURCH OF GOD 7 KILLED, 4 WOUNDED

8
ROLES FOR THE CHURCH

• DAY CARE FACILITIES
• GYMS
• COMMUNITY GROUP MEETINGS
• SCHOOLS
• SOURCE OF FINANCIAL HELP
• REFUGE FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIMS
• REFUGE FOR THOSE ABUSED
• REFUGE

9
MORE ROLES FOR THE CHURCH

• FOOD BANKS
• FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
• MINISTRIES FOR THE HOMELESS, GANG MEMBERS, DRUG
  USERS/ADDICTS
• A PLACE OF WORSHIP, SOLACE AND COMFORT
• A PLACE OF PRAYER

10
PREVENTING CRIME
IN THE CHURCH

• FACILITIES
• LOCKING EVERY LOCK THAT CAN BE
• KEY CONTROL MASTER LIST
• ONE MAIN ENTRANCE
• NATURAL SURVEILLANCE
• OPEN ONLY IF SOMEONE IS THERE
• LIGHTING IN AND OUT
• FOOT CANDLE POWER
• PARKING LOT
• SECURITY SURVEYS
• WORKING WITH LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT

11
EMBEZZELMENT

• 2005 STUDY BY VILLANOVA UNIVERSITY
• 85 OF 78 ROMAN CATHOLIC DIOCESES RESPONDING TO
  A SURVEY (66)
• VICTIMIZED BY EMBEZZLEMENT
• 11 MORE REPORTED LOSSES OF 500,000
• AMERICAN CRIME PREVENTION INSTITUTE

12
BURGLARY

• THE MOST COMMON CRIME AFFECTING CHURCHES
• BURGLARY VS. ROBBERY
• CASH IS EASY
• COUNTING PLACE SECURITY
• PROTECTING VOLUNTEERS
• BY ROTATION, ETC.
• SAFES, DEPOSIT BAGS
• OFFERINGS BY CHURCH MEMBERS REPRESENTS A
  TANGIBLE TRUST BETWEEN THE MEMBER, THE
  CONGREGATION AND THE CHURCH
• VIDEO/TAPE/RECORD EVERYTHING!!!

13
BURGLARY

• INADEQUATE LOCKS
• HIGH QUALITY, DOUBLE CYLINDER DEADBOLT LOCK WITH
  MINIMUM ONE-INCH THROW
• SECURING VALUABLES
• AUDIO-VISUAL EQUIPMENT
• SERIAL NUMBERS, MAKE, MODEL
• SECURING PERSONAL ITEMS OF VOLUNTEERS
• TARGET HARDENING
• SIGNAGE
• LANDSCAPING
• ALARMS DO YOUR HOMEWORK

14
FRAUD

• FINANCIAL ISSUES
• MISREPRESENTATION OF A NEED
• WORK PAID FOR BUT NEVER DONE
• WORK PAID FOR BUT NOT NEEDED
• GYPSIES AND TRAVELERS
• LET US PREY
• ENABLING
• We often begin enabling in an attempt to be kind
  and helpful. For example, we may wake someone so
  they are not late to work. By doing so, we help
  them avoid the consequences of oversleeping
  because they were using or drinking late into the
  night before. We loan addicts money, often over
  and over again, and we are surprised when they
  use it to buy more drugs or alcohol.
• PRACTICED CRIMINALS

15
PROPERTY DAMAGE

• VALUABLE WINDOWS, ALTARS, STATUES, PAINTINGS,
  STATIONS OF THE CROSS, SACRED ITEMS FOR MASS,
  HYMNALS
• INSTRUMENTS, VESTMENTS, HISTORICAL ITEMS, CANDLE
  ARRANGEMENTS, CROSSES
• CHURCH RECORDS, CHURCH HISTORY
• VIOLATION

16
CRIME PREVENTION THROUGH ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN

• IS THE PREMISE STATING THAT THE PROPER DESIGN
  AND EFFECTIVE USE OF THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT
• CAN LEAD TO THE REDUCTION IN THE INCIDENCE AND
  FEAR OF CRIME
• AND TO AN INCREASE IN THE QUALITY OF LIFE.

17
TARGET HARDENING

• THE GOAL ELIMINATE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR
  A CRIMINAL ACT
• SEND A MESSAGE THAT THE RISKS IN COMMITTING A
  CRIME AT YOUR CHURCH FAR OUTWEIGHS THE POTENTIAL
  REWARDS.
• BACKGROUND CHECKS

18
DEALING WITH AN ABNORMAL
USER

• Two types of users of space
• Normal users those who have legitimate purpose
  and intent
• Abnormal users who do not act according to our
  laws, policies, and social norms.
• CPTED helps make the normal user feel at ease and
  welcome, while making the abnormal user feel very
  nervous about engaging in inappropriate behavior
  (Dorn, 2005).
• The idea behind CPTED is to create an environment
  where the normal users are encouraged to use the
  space while the abnormal users are encouraged to
  move along.

19
QUESTIONS

• WHAT IS THE RISK?
• DOES THE CONGREGATION UNDERSTAND THE NEED FOR
  SECURITY?
• HOW SECURE ARE WE PHYSICALLY?
• DO WE HAVE POLICIES/PROCEDURES FOR ALL HAZARDS
  AND CRIME
• HOW DO WE RESPOND IN A CRISIS?
• DO WE HAVE A PLAN FOR DEALING WITH THE MEDIA?
• ARE ALL OF THE NEEDED PEOPLE TRAINED?
• WHO NEEDS EXTRA PROTECTION?

20
CHURCH LIFE

• SECURITY MUST BE A LONG TERM, ONGOING EFFORT ON
  THE PART OF EVERYONE.
• VIOLENCE IN CHURCH ONGOING MEDIA ATTENTION
• RELIGIOUSLY MOTIVATED HATE CRIMES
• WANTING TO BE REMEMBERED
• PERPETRATORS HAVE A CONNECTION TO THE CHURCH

21
QUESTIONS????????

• Detective Pat Heine Pueblo
  Police Department 130
  Central Main
  Pueblo, Colorado 81003
• pheine_at_pueblo.us
• 719-553-2519