What Penal Code Sections 692 and 694 Mean for Your Congregation In my experience, one of the most common questions I hear from pastors, ushers and greeters is whether they are allowed to step in when someone else is being attacked. Many believe the law protects only the person under attack, or that their church
A Word to Our Congregational Partners Places of worship in the United States remain open doors by design, and that openness is part of what makes them meaningful. It also creates a security challenge that every congregation now shares. This issue of The Sanctuary Watch gives you a clear, sourced picture of the threat facing
Legal Considerations and Best Practices for Nonprofit and For-Profit Organizations Introduction Video surveillance has become a standard component of facility security for organizations of every kind: churches and charities, schools and childcare programs, retailers, manufacturers, and professional offices. Cameras deter crime, document incidents, support insurance claims, and protect the people an organization serves. They also
A guide for church leaders responsible for the safety of children entrusted to their care Published by Kearnan Consulting Group, LLC, in collaboration with Church Security Solutions Introduction A volunteer recently described her concern this way. On any given Sunday his church welcomes about seventy children into its Children’s Ministry, from infants in the nursery
A summary and Kearnan perspective on Jennifer Ewbank’s May 11, 2026 analysis in HSToday Kearnan Consulting Group, LLC acknowledges and thanks the Faith-Based Information Sharing and Analysis Organization (FB-ISAO) for circulating this article to its members on May 21, 2026 and providing the link to the published source. FB-ISAO is a sector ISAO recognized through
When a place of prayer becomes a target A statement and analysis from Kearnan Consulting Group, LLC Earlier today, the Islamic Center of San Diego, the largest mosque in San Diego County and home to the Al Rashid Weekend School, became the site of a deadly attack. Three adults, among them a security guard whose
Essential Planning Steps for Public-Facing Organizations Public-facing organizations carry an inherent responsibility for the safety of every person who walks through their doors. Whether the setting is a retail storefront, a community nonprofit, a clinic, a school, or a house of worship, patrons rightfully expect that leadership has taken reasonable steps to identify hazards, plan
When somebody like me walks into a sanctuary and starts talking about parking-lot lighting, trespass policies, and insurance exclusions, I know how it lands. You did not go into ministry to study premises liability. You were called to feed a flock, preach the Word, and love people. So let me say this at the outset,
Catholic and Parochial Perspectives on Protection, Grievance, and the Pathway to Targeted Attack Introduction Every Catholic parish, every parochial school, every diocesan institution eventually confronts a question that no amount of theological study fully prepares its leaders to answer: when is the use of force morally permissible to protect the people of God? The question
How Faith-Based Organizations Have Responded to an Escalating Threat and What the Future Demands Introduction It is no surprise to any student of history that religion and conflict have long been intertwined. Across centuries, faith has been invoked to fuel violence, and war has been used as a tool to advance religious agendas. These patterns
