Faith-Based Daily Awareness Post 17 April 2024

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.

Man pepper sprays priest during confession at Texas church

A Catholic Church in Texas is suspending confessions indefinitely after a priest was doused with pepper spray while administering the Sacrament of Reconciliation to the public. St. Mary’s Catholic Cathedral in Amarillo, Texas, announced on its Facebook page on April 10 that “this evening someone dealing with mental health issues pepper sprayed Fr. Tony while he was hearing confessions.” The post, written by the church’s pastor, the Rev. Tony Neusch, stressed that he was “okay” and did not require “medical attention.” He added, “We will suspend confessions, except by appointment, until security cameras can be installed in the Chapel.

Analyst Comment:

Sprays have been used in attacks of houses of worship in the past. In December of 2023 Volunteers help stop attack at Georgetown synagogue using security training skills. The perpetrator sprayed a noxious gas. Faith-Based Organizations (FBO) should consider all types of threats, including those using pepper spray and other noxious sprays.

FBOs should consider using volunteers trained in security.

Faith-Based ISAO’s website provides resources in the Resource Library, including information on Securing Facilities and People.

TODAY TODAY TODAY TODAY TODAY TODAY

April 17, 2024 02:00 PM Eastern

SCN: Passover without Fear: Preparedness & Security Considerations in Today’s World

Join FBI Director Christopher Wray for Passover Without Fear: Preparedness & Security Considerations. In Today’s World Join the Secure Community Network (SCN) and co-sponsors, The Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA), the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, and the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), for a pre-Passover briefing on the threat environment and best practices to keep this Passover season as safe, secure, and welcoming as possible.

Weekly Security Sprint EP 61. Iran, Hostile Events, Cyber awareness, Vehicle Ramming and more!

The Gate 15 Security Sprint is a weekly rundown of the week’s notable all-hazards security news, risks and threats and some of the key focus areas for organizations to consider behind the headlines. Gate 15 team members discuss physical security, cybersecurity, natural hazards, health threats and other issues across our environment.

In this Week’s Security Sprint, Dave and Andy discuss:

• Israeli war cabinet to meet again to consider response to Iran’s attack
• Idaho teen arrested for allegedly plotting to attack church in name of ISIS
• What we know about (name omitted), the man accused of driving into a Brenham DPS office
• Man who confronted attacker with bollard and other bystanders praised for heroic acts during Bondi stabbings
• Posture Statement of General Timothy D. Haugh 2024. 

The above Gate 15 Weekly Security Sprint website also provides links to many security-related items of interest.

Information on other Gate 15 podcasts can be found at Podcasts (gate15.global).