In this currently charged climate where physical security threats abound, people who are part of faith-based communities are particularly at risk. Nationwide, antisemitic and Islamophobic physical attacks are on the rise and have been directed at both individuals and larger community groups alike.
In December, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued resources to help faith-based organizations and community centers — including houses of worship — improve their physical security capabilities.
Joe Bebon reports on the new recommendations for Facilities Management Advisor. He writes that these DHS Performance Goals are similar to their 2022 Cybersecurity Performance Goals that were a call to action in the face of an escalation of cyber-attacks in recent years. Bebon explains that the new DHS resources are part of a collaboration between the federal department, its Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, and faith-based organizations around the country.
“In this continued heightened threat environment, the Department of Homeland Security is committed to protecting every American’s right to live, express, and worship their faith freely and in safety,” Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro N. Mayorkas, said in a release.
The goals involve establishing clear security response plans, training staff and personnel who work at and serve in leadership roles in these faith-based communities and houses of worship, and devising strategies for how to keep everyone safe and secure after an attack takes place.
“This Physical Security Performance Goals for Faith-Based Communities is a clear, concise, and convenient tool that is outstanding for any religious organization seeking to establish performance goals and protocols for response,” said Ako Cromwell, Director of Global Security, African Methodist Episcopal Church. “While it is particularly useful for those of us in the faith-based community, the fundamentals delineated in this product are applicable across the spectrum for security professionals.”
Sim J. Singh Attariwala, Senior Policy and Advocacy Manger of the Sikh Coalition, added that threats targeting houses of worship in the United States are becoming “increasingly complex and widespread.” These include domestic “hate ideologies” that can spread through communities and online forums as well as threats that emerge from “transnational repression and geopolitical events,” he said in the release.
Much in the same way that schools and universities have become frequent targets for physical security attacks — including mass shootings — houses of worship are beloved centers for all kinds of communities that are experiencing all too frequent external, violent threats.
Schools, hospitals, and banks have to keep a strong physical security protocol in place. Now, houses of worship must also embrace security technology like cloud-based, Internet-connected systems overseen by vetted, trained staff. The safety of their community members depends on this.
Check out the full DHS list of recommendations here.