It’s not enough to argue — or, for that matter, even to provide irrefutable evidence — that religious gathering places are uniquely vulnerable and attractive to active shooter attacks. [1-3]
Citing a 2018 FBI Active Shooter Study, the Novi Police Department again noted earlier today that 4.1% of these incidents took place in churches, synagogues, temples, mosques, and affiliated properties. These are among a broader category of “soft targets.” [4,5]
In leading this presentation titled “Security in Houses of Worship,” held at Brightmoor Christian Church, Novi Detective Jon Zabick provided the following definition. [6]
A target rich environment, perceived by an attacker to be highly vulnerable, with little risk to self in the act of exploiting it.
But parishes, mosques, and similar gathering places are not simply another distinction among categories in need of fortification. Rather, these are places where leadership and culture often feel conspicuously compromised by the notion of dealing with such threats.
- “‘It’ [an active shooter attack] will never happen here.”
- Prevention planning “demonstrates a lack of faith in our sovereign God!”
- “‘It’ only happens in the cities, not here in the country.”
- “God will look out for His people and over His houses!”
Facts contradict this — unbounded by lines of faith. Screen captures from a number of incursions against houses of worship were displayed on large screens in support of this point. But not in our area? More slides were put up, refuting such naïvety. [7-14]
At the same time, the fundamental nature of outreach missions, privileges associated with priest-penitent communications, and acceptance of sinners where they are as first step on path to redemption necessarily requires a different sort of approach to safety than that of a bank. [15-17]
Detective Zabick came to this from an optimally balanced perspective. As Novi Police Department liaison to his local school district and religous centers, his twenty-five year career includes formal credentials “in the science of Institutional Safety & Security, Advanced Crime Prevention, and Crime Prevention via Environmental Design.” In addition to a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice, he has earned master’s degrees in Religious Education and Theological Study.
With that, he credibly assured the hundreds of clergy and lay leaders in his audience of the sound foundation upon which they should feel called to act here on earth in defense of the safety of the places entrusted to them.
Thus he substantiated content with Hindu proverbs and extended citations from The Quran and Holy Bible.
Shuppim and Hosah were assigne to the west gate and the gateway leading up to the Temple. Guard duties were divided equally. [1 Chronicles 26:16 New Living Translation (NLT)]
But from then on, only half my men worked while the other half stood guard with spears, shields, bows, and coats of mail. [Nehemiah 4:16, NLT]
The second in our two-part coverage of this presentation will focus on options that were introduced for dealing with security needs unique to houses of worship. [18]
References
- “OPS Active Shooter Guide: Active Shooter” Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
- “Active Shooter Resources” FBI.
- “Active Shooter” ALICE Training Institute.
- “Police Department” City of Novi.
- “Securing Soft Targets and Crowded Places Resources” United States Department of Homeland Security.
- Brightmoor Christian Church (home page).
- “Egypt’s Coptic churches hit by deadly blasts on Palm Sunday” (April 9, 2017) BBC News.
- “Several Casualties Reported in Texas Church Shooting” Crystal Whitman-Barrow (November 5, 2017) NBC News.
- “11 Killed in Synagogue Massacre; Suspect Charged With 29 Counts” Campbell Robertson, Christopher Mele, and Sabrina Tavernise (October 27, 2018) The New York Times.
- “Death toll rises to 50 in New Zealand mosque shootings” Nicole Chavez and Madeline Holcombe (March 17, 2019) CNN World.
- “Easter Sunday massacre: Nearly 300 killed, 500 wounded in terror attack in Sri Lanka” (April 22, 2019) Fox News.
- “FBI: Detroit man bought explosives from undercover agent, talked of attack” John Steckroth (August 2, 2016) Click on Detroit.
- “Man Tries To Attack Priest During Sunday Service At National Shrine Of The Little Flower” (November 7, 2016) 62 CBS Detroit.
- “Gun, maps to churches and mosque found in abandoned bag in Dearborn Hts” Roop Raj (November 15, 2017) Fox 2.
- “Get to Know Us” Brightmoor Church.
- “Priest-Penitent Privilege” John R Vile, The First Amendment Encyclopeida.
- “Is It Time for a Fresh Look at the Bank Protection Act?” Chris Swecker and Marleah Blades (November 17, 2009) Security Info Watch.
