Black and white Sound Cloud icon Black and white YouTube icon Black and white LinkedIn icon Black and white Facebook icon

All Locked Up

Keeping Killers Out with Lockouts and Lockdowns

The keys in the lock of the door on the outside safety locked doors security privacy

This article is based on the Safety Member Certification training module "Active Shooter Response" and the Church Security Guide article "Church Safety Teams and Active Shooter Training."[1][2][3]

From the Bible

And they shall be joined unto thee, and keep the charge of the tabernacle of the congregation, for all the service of the tabernacle: and a stranger shall not come nigh unto you (Numbers 18:4).

* Levites guarding the Tabernacle (later the Temple) were to keep unauthorized persons out of the inner places.

And I [Nehemiah] said unto them, "Let not the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun be hot; and while they stand by, let them shut the doors, and bar them: and appoint watches of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, every one in his watch, and every one to be over against his house" (Nehemiah 7:3).

* This was in response to threats by their enemies.

He redeems my soul in safety from the battle that I wage, for many are arrayed against me (Psalm 55:18).

Introduction

We read in news stories that when a human threat is afoot in a neighborhood police will often call for a lockdown of schools, businesses, and other buildings. From law enforcement's point of view, it reduces the places a fugitive from justice can hide. This will also keep a dangerous person from entering these places and endangering the occupants. Sometimes, a "soft lockdown" is enacted. This is also called a "lockout," a distinction we will cover. From our point of view, as churches, schools, and other ministry organizations, lockouts and lockdowns are access control measures used to protect our staff, members, and guests from active human threats.

In the News

South San Francisco, January 30, 2024 - At about 1:25 pm on a Tuesday, a man fired several shots at a church, shattering windows in the front. Following the shooting, the man fled. Schools in the areas were locked down, as well as the church's office. The following day's mass was cancelled as well as the remaining catechism classes for the week.[4][5]

Lewiston, Maine, October 25, 2023 - On a Friday evening an armed man opened fire in a bowling alley and bar, killing 18 persons. Authorities ordered lockdowns while they tracked down the shooter. This included an Episcopal Church. A convention meeting for the following day (Saturday) was postponed.[6]

Goldsboro, North Carolina, March 17, 2024 - It was a Monday afternoon. Two staff members were inside the building of a local ministry. A man came into the parking lot and stood there waving a firearm. At least one window of the ministry had been shot. Schools in the area went on lockout/lockdown until the man surrendered to police. The ministry's staff members were uninjured.[7]

Placentia, California, January 14, 2024 - Police officers entered a church looking for a man reported to have fired shots before running into the church. This was during the early morning Mass. When the police went in, they ordered everyone to hold their hands up. Then the officers evacuated the church while they searched for the shooter.

A school attached to the church went into lockdown, and well as residences and businesses in the neighborhood.[8]

Seaside, California, May 21, 2019 - A man who was shot in his vehicle crashed into a church parking lot while he died. This was at 1:20 on a Tuesday afternoon. Staff were in the church office, and students were in nearby schools. The church and the schools were locked down while police began looking for the shooter(s).[9]

Frisco, Texas, September 25, 2024 - Officers in Frisco made a traffic stop for running a red light on an early midday afternoon. The driver gave a false name, but the officers identified him as a fugitive from warrants who also might have firearms. They called for backup, but as they waited the suspect exited the vehicle and ran away and ran into a church. The church had a preschool in another building. The preschool was placed on lockdown while police searched the church for the fugitive. When parents came to pick up the children, school staff took them out to the cars.

The suspect was eventually found hiding in a ceiling.[10]

Spencer, Iowa, November 6, 2024 - This incident also started with an attempted traffic stop. The driver of a stolen pickup led police on a chase through Spencer. This included leaving damage in a hospital construction zone. When the truck reached the driveway of a large church used by two congregations (of different denominations), the fugitive found himself with no way out. He committed suicide.

During the chase, police called for lockdowns, including a middle school, the hospital, and the offices of each congregation in the church. After all, who knows what the driver of a stolen vehicle would do when stopped?[11]

Locking Out Violence

A closing routine for most businesses and institutions is locking up. Even most of those churches that had remained open at all hours are now locked up when no staff are present. The obvious motive is to keep out burglars, vandals, and arsonists. But when these facilities are open for business, classes, services, and events - even office hours - there is the chance that violent intruders may come in, even with deadly force.

The logical security measure is to keep an intruder away from intended and potential victims, and the most obvious measure for this is to lock doors that are in the way. The question is when and how to do this?

Lockout

This is sometimes called a "soft lockdown," as in the Goldsboro news story.[7] When a potentially violent intruder is spotted or there is a warning of a violent person (such as "armed and dangerous") in the area, any open and/or unlocked doors are closed and locked. If persons are outside, get them in immediately. If the church does not have outside speakers, use a bullhorn (a good reason to have one).

For any facility, this is not all. The exterior needs to be monitored. If the person of interest is seen and all doors are already locked, there are measures to take:

  1. Intruder Reporting - Police are be notified of where the person is.
  2. Intruder Tracking - Watch the person in case he (or she) tries to get in. Here is where complete surveillance camera coverage pays off. Follow their movements around the outside.
  3. Proactive Positioning - Make sure someone is already at that door or window ready to engage if necessary. The team leader for that shift can move personnel around to be inside wherever the intruder is on the outside. This is what can be done when you don't have a team member for each room.

Lockdown

If the intruder is inside, trying to get inside, or is seen outside the church, school, or other ministry facility, call for a lockdown. This means that every room where people are is locked to keep a violent intruder out. If a room cannot be locked, such as the sanctuary or fellowship hall, herd those people to rooms that can be locked. This is a good reason to make the doors for large meeting areas lockable and/or blockable (for instance with a lock bar).

An effective lockdown means having doors and walls which are not easily battered down or broken through. They also should be able to quickly lock in an emergency. Have doors already locked that are kept open with a quickly removable prop, such as the Gotega Door Stopper, a kickdown door stop. Just kicking down on the lever raises the foot and lets the door close. It is sold on the Sheepdog Church Security store on Amazon.[12]

Pre-Emptive Lockout

Why wait for an intruder to show up? Have a policy that all open doors will be attended. If a door is not attended, it will be locked. Then when classes, services, or events begin, the attended doors will be locked. Latecomers will ask to be let in. This means that an intended killer will not be able to get in just by rushing the door, as the shooter did at Chabad of Poway.[13]

Training Notes

"Active Shooter Response" is one of eight Safety Member Certification training modules. The full course trains team members in several aspects of church security. Passing all the classes results in the student being a Certified Safety Member for two years. Recertification not only refreshes training, but updates it with new knowledge, techniques, and equipment, as well as significant court decisions and changes in federal, state, and local laws.

Training for an active killer response should include more than the class. Church Security Team members need to drill in how to respond. This includes Lockout & Lockdown drills. Practice Intruder Reporting, Intruder Tracking, and Proactive Positioning with someone playing the part of an intruder. Also practice checking Pre-Emptive Lockouts while patrolling (a good orientation activity for new members).

Conclusion

Be ready to lockout and lock down when necessary.

References

  1. Kris Moloney, "Active Shooter Response," Safety Member Certification, Sheepdog Church Security, © 2020 [https://sheepdog-church-security.thinkific.com/bundles/safety-member-certification].
  2. Kris P. Moloney, Church Security Guide, The Sheepdog Sentinel, Sheepdog Church Security, 2018/2023 [https://sheepdog-church-security.thinkific.com/pages/security-articles?c=church-security-guide].
  3. Kris P. Moloney, "Church Safety Teams and Active Shooter Training," Church Security Guide, The Sheepdog Sentinel, Sheepdog Church Security, June 9, 2023 [https://sheepdog-church-security.thinkific.com/pages/security-articles?p=church-safety-active-killer-response-strategies].
  4. Carlos Castañeda, "Man shoots at St. Augustine Catholic church in South San Francisco; suspect arrested," CBS San Francisco, Updated on January 31, 2024 [https://www.cbsnews.com/sanfrancisco/news/st-augustine-catholic-church-shooting-south-san-francisco/].
  5. Terry McSweeney, "Police make arrest hours after shooting inside South San Francisco church," NBC Bay Area, Published January 30, 2024 [https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/peninsula/south-san-francisco-church-shooting/3438520/].
  6. Shireen Korkzan, "UPDATED: Maine parish in lockdown as manhunt is underway for gunman who killed 18," Episcopal News Service, Posted Oct 26, 2023 [https://episcopalnewsservice.org/2023/10/26/maine-parish-in-lockdown-as-manhunt-is-underway-for-gunman-who-killed-18/].
  7. Andrew Stevens, "Shots Fired Monday Afternoon at Local Ministry," Goldsboro Daily News, Posted Oct 26, 2023 [https://www.goldsborodailynews.com/2024/03/18/shots-fired-monday-afternoon-at-local-ministry/].
  8. FOX 11 Digital Team, "St. Joseph Church in Placentia locked down after man interrupts live-streamed Mass," Fox 11 Los Angeles, Updated January 16, 2024 [https://www.foxla.com/news/st-joseph-church-in-placentia-locked-down-after-reports-armed-man-entered-during-live-streamed-mass].
  9. Josh Copitch, "Update: Police look for Seaside shooter, lock downs lifted on nearby school," KSBW, Updated May 21, 2019 [https://www.ksbw.com/article/seaside-students-on-lock-down-following-nearby-shooting/27547291].
  10. Ben Sawyers, "Man hiding inside Frisco church ceiling arrested after running away from police," WFAA, Published September 25, 2024, Updated September 26, 2024 [https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/crime/man-barricaded-inside-frisco-church-running-away-police/287-e9707953-ce4b-40b5-95a7-5cf218f9d23a].
  11. Wesley Thoene, Luke Malik, "Suspect dead after pursuit near Spencer church, law enforcement says," KCAU Siouxland Proud, November 19, 2024 [https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/local-news/spencer-church-says-area-secure-after-incident-hospital-went-on-lockdown-as-precaution/].
  12. Kris Moloney, "Gotega Door Stopper, 2 Packs Kickdown Door Stop with One Touch Adjustable Height and Rubber Tip 4 Inches, Heavy Duty Door Stops, Door Holder, Bottom of Door," Recommended Equipment for Safety Ministries, Sheepdog Church Security [https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07SHKQWWM?linkCode=ssc&tag=onamzsafetyeq-20&creativeASIN=B07SHKQWWM&asc_item-id=amzn1.ideas.1ERD68BB0JGWR&ref_=aip_sf_list_spv_ofs_mixed_d_asin&th=1].
  13. Rachel M. Moloney, "Lessons Learned from the Poway Synagogue Shooting," Lesson Learned, The Sheepdog Sentinel, Sheepdog Church Security Academy, posted November 20, 2024 [https://sheepdog-church-security.thinkific.com/pages/security-articles?p=lessons-learned-from-the-poway-synagogue-shooting].