For churches

Starting a church safety team: the first decisions

A safety team is a few named people with clear jobs and a plan they have practiced. These are the decisions to make first, drawn from federal guidance and from church insurers.

VantageIQ Technologies · October 4, 2026 · 2 minute read

Name three roles

The federal Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) studied 37 incidents of targeted violence at houses of worship between 2009 and 2019. Its guide describes three roles.

• A security coordinator: one person who leads and decides. Ideally a staff member or a committed volunteer with relevant experience.
• A planning team: clergy, staff and members who support the coordinator.
• A safety team: the greeters, ushers, volunteers and maintenance staff who carry the plan out. Greeters are often the first to notice something wrong.

Plan for more than one danger

The federal guide to emergency plans for houses of worship covers every threat and hazard, not only violence. It sets out six steps.

1. Form a planning team with people from the church and from your local first responders.
2. Understand your situation: the building, the people and the likely risks.
3. Set goals and objectives.
4. Work out what you will do in each case, such as evacuation, lockdown and shelter in place.
5. Write the plan, review it and have the leadership approve it.
6. Train, practice and keep it up to date.

A plan on paper is not enough. The last step is the one that makes the others count.

Meet the police and fire department before you need them

CISA's guide recommends a standing relationship with local law enforcement and first responders, with regular meetings. Its 2023 security goals add sharing your floor plans with them and running exercises together.

Choose team members with care

CISA's security goals for faith communities suggest a basic background check and a short interview for each team member, and a set waiting period before someone takes a key role.

Armed or not

CISA's guide makes no recommendation either way. State law differs: a 2018 GuideOne brochure notes that some states prohibit weapons in churches, some leave the choice to the church, and some say nothing.

Church insurers are more direct. GuideOne encourages churches to use off-duty police officers or a professional security company, and puts a team of members last because it carries the most liability. It asks for training and written use-of-force rules that go beyond a carry permit. Church Mutual says only highly trained people should carry, as part of a formal team. Brotherhood Mutual warns that untrained members may add more liability than protection.

Before you decide, speak to your insurer and to an attorney in your state.