Faith-Based Daily Awareness Post 28 August 2023

These updates are shared to help raise the situational awareness of Faith-Based organizations to best defend against, and mitigate the impacts from all-hazards threats including physical security, cybersecurity, and natural disasters.

Gunman Kills 3 in Racially Motivated Attack on Jacksonville Dollar Store

Homeland Security Today reports that three people were killed in a racially motivated mass shooting in Jacksonville, FL. The attacker was first confronted by security at Edward Waters University, before leaving and attacking the nearby Dollar General store. Edward Waters University is a historically Black school, founded in 1866 by members of the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church. Campus security alerted a Jacksonville police officer who was putting out an alert for him when gunfire rang out.

The shooter left three distinct manifestos: one for his parents, one for the media, and one for federal law enforcement. “Portions of these manifestos detail the shooter’s disgusting ideology of hate,” the sheriff said.

Analyst Comment:

There are many examples of an attacker being deterred by visible security measures and moving to a softer target. Faith-Based Organizations should consider hardening their facilities; especially with outward facing security measures, such as cameras, security personnel, and locked access points.

A valuable resource for protecting FBO facilities is CISA’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency: Security of Soft Targets and Crowded Places-Resources Guide

Gate 15 provides a white paper on the Hostile Event Attack Cycle. “The Hostile Event Attack Cycle identifies the phases a threat actor employs prior to perpetrating an attack on innocent lives.” An understanding of the attack cycle can assist FBOs with deterring, detecting, preventing, and responding to a potential incident. The white paper can be found here.

Active shooter preparedness doesn’t have to be difficult according to Church Mutual leader

Insurance Business Magazine’s reports on Church Mutual Insurance’s active shooter preparedness recommendations.

The article provides details on the following Church Mutual Insurance recommendations:

• “The most important thing is to have some person – or ideally a team – and have safety and security be their area of responsibility, whether that’s a staff person or a volunteer.”
• Assess the premises with law enforcement or an insurer/broker experienced in active shooter prevention.
• Install cameras to provide surveillance on the premises. Real-time monitoring is important.
• If employing armed security, consider the liability of the organization, whether it is outsourced or internal.
• Insurers often recommend using law enforcement to secure the premises.
• Bringing in armed security means that an organization must re-evaluate the insurance coverage it currently has.
• If an organization is looking to its internal team to provide security, the organization is “responsible for providing the training, the background checks and the screening of those folks. And essentially, you’re on the hook for their acts. You want to be very cautious in that regard.”

Church Mutual®: Safety Concerns Continue to Climb: 54% of Americans Say It Is a Priority

Business Wire reports on a Church Mutual survey that finds interest for armed security at schools, worship facilities, as well as community and nonprofit organizations.