As people become more in tune with the importance and need for security in buildings, such as schools, malls, offices, and hospitals, one type of space can be easy to overlook. Places of worship, like churches, synagogues, and mosques are often considered safe, open spaces where people visit to reflect, pray, and find refuge.
However, in recent years, facility managers for these buildings have seen a growing need to improve security measures in places of worship, as the threat of violence towards religious groups becomes a growing issue. In addition, keeping these buildings accessible during all hours of the day can be problematic, especially with an increase in theft and vandalism.
Here are four ways that places of worship can improve their overall building security.
Install an entry control system
Keeping a church, synagogue, or mosque open to the public and its congregants at all times is no longer feasible in today’s world. These buildings need to have security measures in place that allow those who are permitted to enter to gain full access while keeping out individuals who may have bad intentions. Installing an entry control system, such as an access control system or keypad, can enable building doors to remain locked late at night, but automatically unlock early in the morning to allow people to enter for early morning prayer. Some churches have taken limiting access a step further by giving members an access control credential or unique pin that enables them to access select areas of the facility after hours when needed.
Leverage intercoms to manage the flow of visitors
As more religious buildings extend their offering beyond traditional worship services, it becomes increasingly important to understand who is accessing the facility and when. Religious spaces are often extensions of the community, with classrooms, meeting areas, and banquet halls that can accommodate a variety of uses, from children’s groups like the Girl Scouts and planning meetings for the local Little League program, to non-religious support groups and private events. By installing an intercom system, a receptionist can manage a person’s requests to enter the building, communicate with visitors, and verify the purpose of their visit before giving them access. With a video intercom system, this process can be taken a step further to include visual verification and to capture a video recording as a person enters.
Limit building access points
Restricting building access is one way to keep a place of worship secure, but it is not always practical. Instead, many facilities are limiting how many entrances can actively be used during the day and funneling people to a central entrance where they can implement enhanced visitor management features through an intercom system. In addition, facility managers are also keeping additional exterior doors locked throughout the day, such as the rear entrance to a banquet facility and the kitchen. Using either an intercom system or an access control reader can enable a place of worship to manage this access point while still allowing vendors to use this access point to deliver food and other goods.
Invest in parking lot emergency communication towers
As churches, synagogues, and mosques grow and their parking lots also expand, parking lot safety also becomes an issue. Expansive parking lots that accommodate hundreds of vehicles should have proper security systems in place to enable people to call for help in the event of an emergency. For example, in the event of a medical emergency, an emergency communication tower provides a reliable means of communication since the emergency tower is a hardwired system and does not rely on a cellular network. When a person pushes the emergency call button, the emergency tower directly connects with a live individual, whether it is a front office employee or a security office, and then communicates the exact location of the emergency tower. This makes it easier to send help to the right location.
Thanks to increasing awareness of the importance of installing security in places of worship, many of these facilities have now invested in security technology that can help keep both their facilities and members more secure.
