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Security experts on Sunday called on U.S. churches to increase their safety measures after two near misses involving attempted shootings at houses of worship in different parts of the country this month.
Recently, a Pennsylvania man jumped out of his seat at the front of a church and tackled an armed man who walked up to the pulpit and tried to gun down a pastor mid-sermon.
A hero in the front row, Clarence McCallister, tackled and disarmed him. Then, on Saturday, a gun-toting teen walked up to a Louisiana church during a First Communion Mass for dozens of children. Parishioners detained him outside and called police.
Even the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recommend churches and other places of worship to take preparedness measures around the year.
FEMA offers a security self-assessment checklist on its website. The government also offers grants for nonprofit security to cover the costs of physical safety measures. Local governments throughout the country offer safety training programs for houses of worship.
From megachurches to tiny independent places of worship, interest in improving safety measures is up across the board, said David Katz, CEO of Global Security Group, a private firm founded by former federal agents, senior NYPD officers and FDNY leaders.
He said armed volunteer security at houses of worship is not a new idea, especially in Jewish synagogues, but the demand is increasing as more and more sites explore their options
Katz, a former special agent with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), began training volunteers at his own Texas synagogue amid fears of violence following the invasion of Israel by Hamas terrorists and antisemitic attacks in the U.S. Now, he says, he's working with churches, too.
"Most synagogues and churches simply don't have the budget to hire full-time armed security," he said. So even though his firm provides it, he's also offering training so that worshippers can protect themselves.
