In response to the rise of attacks on houses of worship in the U.S. and around the world, ASIS International, the world’s largest membership association for security management professionals, is providing a suite of free resources to help support those responsible for protecting these vital community institutions.
Escalating threats towards faith-based communities
Houses of worship have always had special security concerns, as they are uniquely vulnerable open environments, but recent trends are deeply concerning. According to U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly, “the country has seen unacceptable and escalating threats and actual harassment directed at faith-based communities.” Around the globe there have been dozens of targeted attacks, planned attacks or vandalism involving houses of worship in Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Greece, Germany, Indonesia, Iraq, Italy, Kenya, the Philippines, Turkey, Uganda, Yemen, and more.
ASIS International CEO Peter J. O’Neil notes that “although we cannot stop bad actors, we can make sure we get the best information to the right people to help ensure these institutions remain safe havens for their communities.”
ASIS’s educational materials
The curated content contains research and guidance for securing houses of worship from ASIS’s extensive educational materials covering all aspects of the security profession, as well as helpful links to government resources and more. Included are guides, white papers, and tools from ASIS’s Cultural Properties and Crime Prevention and Loss Prevention Councils, full session presentations from ASIS’s Annual Seminar and Exhibits, excerpts from leading books, and Security Management magazine articles.
ASIS members, who include experts in all aspects of security in hundreds of chapters worldwide, are united in their commitment to protect their communities and stand ready to provide advice and assistance.
