CJS 250
April 17, 2011
Security Objective Components People who attend church do so with little thought given to their safety during the sermon. Church is considered to be a place of peace and serenity, not of violence and death. Over the last 50 years, churches, synagogues, and other religious sites around the world have been subjected to unbelievable acts of terrorism. Differences in religious beliefs and domestic disturbances can cause some individuals to take extreme measures to make their opinion known. Such seems to be the case for the stories in the article. The late twentieth century saw an increase in violent crimes and churches, schools, and malls seemed to be the targets. People have an instant sense of security when crossing the threshold of a church. Churches have become more aware of their security objectives because of the number of attacks on churches and religious sites. The main objective for any target environment is safety and protection, and it is the same for churches. The most important component needing attention for the environments in the article is physical security. Some churches have hired armed and unarmed, plainclothes law enforcement for additional protection (Security Solutions, 2011). Responsibility for the safety of staff, volunteers, and congregation has to fall to the church (Christian News Wire, 2010) Gaps in security are determined with a vulnerability assessment. One of the less pertinent components would be an assessment of church personnel. In nearly every case, the attacker is not a staff member. The individuals, who work at or in a church, have a deep seeded respect for the sanctity of the church. Countermeasures or possible solutions for the types of attacks perpetrated on churches primarily depend on the type of threat. Outside surveillance with cameras placed in more opportune and vulnerable locations around the perimeter of the building, is a smart place