Your Guide to Staying Secure

Vigilance

• Brief parish members on site to spot suspicious behaviour onsite and give details of the best course of action for them to follow
• Ask neighbours or regular visitors to report any unusual behaviour to the police or parish warden
• Build relationships with community police officers and other local crime prevention groups for maximum support
• always report incidents, no matter how minor they may seem
• Maintain contact with other houses of worship in your local area to be aware of recent problems that may cause you to be extra cautious

Physical Security

• Install entry protecting alarms to detect the breaking of windows and opening of doors – if the worst happens your system can alert you and the emergency services
• Use several security methods – don’t rely on one solution
• Only use security companies with National Security Inspectorate or British Security Industry Association accreditations
• Use signage to highlight that the premises is fitted with physical security protection
• Mark high value assets and create a corresponding inventory in case of theft
• Consider applying anti-climb paint to downpipes etc, less than 8ft from the ground

Deterrence

• Light all exterior points of entry and areas at risk with fixtures that are difficult to reach or tamper with
• Make sure that plants and shrubbery are kept well maintained and trimmed to a low point (1m) to the ground to reduce the potential hiding places for intruders – you may want to consider swapping these for holly or hawthorn bushes that are difficult to penetrate
• Ensure that the premises are well maintained to reduce the potential for attack – be extra vigilant for broken locks (which should conform to BS 3621 specification or higher), gaps in doors and exposed wires
• Keep small valuable items locked away in secure storage when they don’t need to be used
• Consider protecting stained glass windows with polycarbonate sheeting
• Discrete anchoring of larger items can act as a visible and physical deterrent
• Keep external doors locked overnight with a good quality mortice deadlock with at least 5 levers, complying with BS 3621
• Don’t leave equipment or moveable items lying around that could be used to make climbing and gaining access easy

Whether your place of worship serves a small community in a rural area or a large congregation in an urban city with more complex requirements, ADT has a range of security solutions to meet your needs. 

From CCTV and monitored intruder alarms, to access control and fire detection systems to help protect against arson, ADT can offer you a FREE, no obligation fire and security survey to review your requirements and tailor your system to your exact requirements.

Source: * www.churchnewspaper.com

** www.churchalert.co.uk