Religious Institutions

In recent years, it has become clear that faith communities are not exempt from threats – and in fact, may be even targeted for their spiritual beliefs. We have seen reports of horrific attacks on churches, temples, mosques and other institutions of faith, in the U.S. and across the globe. The attacks have ranged from graffiti and arson to bombings and active shooter incidents, some of these incidents even resulting in mass casualties.

There are strategies that you can use to make your house of worship safer for church leadership, parishioners and visitors. The ICP 5-step Process for Crisis/Threat Readiness is recognized worldwide as the standard for proactively addressing the many threats that organizations face in today’s dynamic environment. With thorough assessment of threats, along with education and training, religious institutions can prevent, mitigate, respond to and recover more smoothly from critical incidents. Religious leaders are understandably interested in how they can improve security protocols in their churches. There are some concerns specific to churches that those individuals need to be aware of to protect parishioners and property. It is important not only to understand best practices for safety and security, but also the global and national context of threats that may apply to specific religious groups and areas.

Our 5-Step process

1. SITE ASSESSMENT

The first step of our process includes a full site assessment. The ICP team will visit your location, meet with your team and assess physical vulnerabilities. Through discussions and interviews, we will assess existing or past known threats and vulnerabilities.

2. POLICY CREATION

ICP will review or create your existing policies and make recommendations for improvement. We gather information on your workplace, organizational culture and employees. Then, we utilize our methods to review other factors in your organization’s vulnerabilities to provide a more complete picture. Finally, we will prepare a plan that includes policy recommendations. This may include employee training, security force training and other specialized and enhanced training, as needed. Areas of Experiences include: Central and South America, Mexico, Europe, Balkans, Africa, the Middle East, Southeast Asia & South Pacific Islands. 

ICP stands out as the government and public agency consultant of choice. We maintain an unmatched list of certifications and security clearances. We maintain General Services Administration (GSA) Certification, enabling us to compete for federal contracts. We also are an INFRAGARD and OSAC Member.

3. EMPLOYEE TRAINING

A plan relies on the people who will carry it out. It is essential to prepare employees with tools and a response plan to address threats and crises. This will include training them in any new or existing policies relevant to safety and security. ICP will provide customized training to ensure your executives, managers and employees are ready and confident in addressing potential threats and crises within the parameters set by your policies.

4. SECURITY TRAINING

An organization’s security force deserves training that highlights areas where they can proactively prevent and mitigate threats. Trust ICP to provide specialized training for your security forces to help them protect your people and facilities.

5. SPECIALIZED TRAINING

Depending on your organization’s unique situation, your workforce may benefit from specialized and enhanced training. ICP will make recommendations based on the considerations and needs specific to your situation. The training provided by ICP may include table-top or full-scale exercises, courses on decision-making, leadership development and more – all customized for your organization’s needs.

ICP is a government and public agency consultant of choice.  We deploy anywhere in the world, in 72 Hours!