From fall festivals through the Christmas season, churches and other religious organizations tend to get more visitors in the fall and winter. That makes these seasons the ideal time of year for houses of worship and large religious campuses to bulk up on their security technology. Here are some of the security challenges that stakeholders on religious properties face, and security systems that can help meet those challenges head-on without detracting from an organization’s mission.
Managing Volunteers
Churches and other religious organizations are likely to rely heavily on volunteers to maintain the programs they offer the community. The ongoing security challenge is to provide a welcoming environment for all, while also making sure that volunteers respect physical boundaries on the property. To mitigate this challenge, those concerned about security should consider adding new cameras to areas of the property that are not currently being monitored. Volunteers can be made aware that the cameras are present.
Circumventing Vandalism
Acts of vandalism on American churches and other places of worship have increased by more than 170% over the last five years. To prevent graffiti, broken windows, stolen assets, and other types of property damage, religious organizations need to implement more effective intrusion detection systems.
Security managers on church properties may wish to consider advanced intrusion detection technology like virtual fencing, or at the very least, additional motion detection sensors integrated with video surveillance.
Monitoring Visitors
While the majority of visitors to places of worship are ostensibly on the property for virtuous reasons, the reality is that there are some who would do the property harm, if given the opportunity. To manage visitors to the property without impeding on their worship experience, security stakeholders may consider protecting off-limits areas with an electronic access control system. Access control ensures that only those who possess an activated credential can enter a protected area. Meanwhile, authorized church administrators can generate a report that shows who accessed the area at specific times.
Call ASI Security to Learn More
These are some of the most urgent security challenges religious organizations face, and technology that can help churches overcome them. For more information on these security systems for churches and religious properties, call ASI Security now. We look forward to answering your questions.
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