By Ken Valentine, ret. Special Agent in Charge – US Secret Service, VP – Sentinel Protection Solutions
Houses of worship can no longer assume safety by default.
A generation ago that sounded paranoid. Today it’s risk management. Charleston. Pittsburgh. Sutherland Springs. Michigan. The list grows, and faith communities face a hard question: How do we protect our people while remaining fully welcoming?
“Harden the place without hardening hearts.”
That balance of accessibility and protection is the central challenge. After decades in federal law enforcement and corporate security, I’ve seen that when security is done right, it creates freedom. Freedom to move, think, and minister, to staff, congregants and visitors.
A layered, practical approach
Every effective plan starts with understanding your unique vulnerabilities. In recent church assessments, these core questions emerge, and the most effective answers are tailored, not one-size-fits-all:
- Prepare your people. Train staff and volunteers to read behavior, de-escalate early, and respond decisively. Run short, realistic drills. Clarify roles and communications before a crisis, not during one.
- Harden the place without hardening hearts. Reinforce entry points. Use lighting and sightlines. Post visible and welcoming greeters who are trained observers. Add low-friction technology (cameras, radios, duress alerts) that supports the worship experience rather than dominates it.
- Partner on purpose. Invite local law enforcement for a walkthrough. Compare notes with neighboring congregations. Engage professional security advisors to right-size measures to your culture and budget. Your police department wants to help; experienced consultants exist to make this easier.
This is stewardship
Policies and procedures matter, but the work is bigger than that. Leaders have a duty of care to safeguard their people, and a spiritual mandate to keep doors open to seekers, neighbors, and strangers. Done thoughtfully, security protects both. A welcoming environment and a secure one aren’t opposites; they’re complements. The peace of mind that comes from a sound plan lets worshippers focus on why they’re there: connection with God and with one another.
“Security should expand freedom, not restrict it.”
Start now
You wouldn’t build a house without knowing the soil conditions. Don’t build a security plan without knowing your vulnerabilities. A professional assessment is your foundation—it identifies what’s unique about your congregation, your facility, and your context. It answers the questions that keep you up at night: Where are we exposed? Who does what in a crisis? What can we realistically implement?
Where do you begin? Right there—schedule that assessment. Once you have clear answers, then you train, test, and refine. Faith communities cannot ignore the realities of violence, and they don’t have to surrender their mission of openness. With the right assessment and planning, they can embody both.
Ken Valentine is the Vice-President of Protective Operations & Risk Management with Sentinel Protection Solutions and a retired Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Secret Service, Dignitary Protective Division. He has more than 30 years of federal and corporate security experience. Valentine is the author of Cheating Death and Staying Sharp and a frequent guest on national news programs and podcasts.
