I want to pass on this important reminder from the Nationwide SAR Initiative (NSI) regarding faith-based events and houses of worship, such as churches, synagogues, and mosques, which are inherently welcoming, with open access and publicly announced schedules for religious services and special events.
However, as recent events have shown, this welcoming nature can pose risks. An open environment where a significant number of people of the same faith congregate regularly at specified times to worship, study, celebrate special events, commemorate days of significance, and host public gatherings presents unique security challenges. Members of the nation’s faith-based organizations and houses of worship can take steps to proactively reduce risks and provide safe, secure, and resilient places of worship and faith-based gatherings. The NSI is a standardized process—including stakeholder outreach, privacy protections, training, and facilitation of technology—for identifying and reporting suspicious activity in jurisdictions across the country and also serves as the unified focal point for sharing Suspicious Activity Report (SAR) information.
The NSI and its partner agencies will engage the faith-based community in an effort to bolster emergency preparedness efforts and to foster best practices to keep faith-based events and houses of worship safe. Informed, alert communities—including clergy, lay leaders, congregants, and visitors to places of worship—play a critical role in keeping our nation safe.
DHS’s “If You See Something, Say Something™” https://www.dhs.gov/see-something-say-something campaign is an effective program to raise public awareness of indicators of terrorism and terrorism-related crime and to emphasize the importance of reporting suspicious activity to the proper local law enforcement authorities. The campaign has also initiated partnerships with faith-based organizations to help engage religious leaders and congregants with the message of vigilance in identifying and reporting indicators of terrorism and other threats. Both the “If You See Something, Say Something™” campaign and the NSI underscore the concept that homeland security begins with hometown security, where an alert public plays a critical role in keeping our nation safe.
In addition I would like to take this opportunity to provide organizations with the following links to free available resources, including grant and reimbursement information for both physical and cybersecurity.
The first link, below, provides information about the latest NJOHSP Homeland Security Grant Program:
NEW JERSEY OFFICE OF HOMELAND SECURITY AND PREPAREDNESS
Grants Management Bureau FY2018
Homeland Security Grant Program (SHSP/UASI)
Project Proposal Guidelines:
Guide for Developing High-Quality Emergency Operations Plans for Houses of Worship
Resources to Protect Your House of Worship
https://www.fema.gov/faith-resources
Protecting Houses of Worship Event Resource Guide
https://www.hsdl.org/?view&did=790107
Safeguarding Houses of Worship
https://www.justnet.org/resources/Houses_of_Worship.html
Praise & Preparedness Initiative
Houses of Worship Security Practices Guide
https://www.illinois.gov/ready/plan/Documents/DHS_Houses_of_ Worship_Security_Practices_Guide.pdf
NSI Safety for Faith-Based Events and Houses of Worship
DHS Community Engagement, Outreach, and Training Resources
http://www.dhs.gov/community-outreach-and-training
Protective Security Advisors, DHS Infrastructure Protection
http://www.dhs.gov/files/programs/gc_1265310793722.shtm
FEMA Management Institute Training Resources
http://www.training.fema.gov/EMI
FEMA Guide for All-Hazards Emergency Operations Planning
http://www.fema.gov/pdf/plan/slg101.pdf
Comprehensive Preparedness Guide 101
Community Preparation Through the Hometown Security Program
https://www.dhs.gov/hometown-security
DHS Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, Community Engagement Section
U.S. Department of Justice Community Relations Service
http://www.justice.gov/crs/index.html
FBI, Information on Hate Crimes
http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/investigate/civilrights/hate_crimes/hate_crimes/
Secure Community Network
https://scnus.org/institutional-security
Christian Emergency Network
http://www.christianemergencynetwork.org/
National Disaster Interfaith Network
Active Shooter in a House of Worship
http://www.n-din.org/ndin_resources/tipsheets_v1208/07_NDIN_TS_ActiveShooter.pdf
Recommended Best Practices for Securing Houses of Worship
https://www.asisonline.org/About-ASIS/Documents/SecuringHOWs.pdf
ASIS International
Please utilize these free resources.
Have a Joyous Holiday Season.
Ron
How does our Shul get funds to enhance our security?
Ooops, forgot the top one!!!!
https://www.njhomelandsecurity.gov/faith-based-resources/
Ron Benvenisti this is the second time I am asking this Question, you seem well informed about many different subjects, Security ,taxes and so forth. Can you please inform us what exactly is your profession unless it is top secret, sincerely Bubbie Zelda.
I am retired HPD. Looking for security training for house of worship in Texas.