Hometown Security Report Series: Houses of Worship (May 2017)

Numerous studies estimate there are between 300,000 and 400,000 religious congregations in the United States. Many people think of a house of worship as a safe area where violence and emergencies cannot affect them. However, violence in a house of worship is not a new phenomenon and many facilities are developing and updating security and emergency plans and procedures to ensure the safety and security of their congregations, visitors, staff, and facilities.

This Report Series encourages houses of worship to consider the following preventive measures within four steps to fortify their security: Connect, Plan, Train, Report.