Persons of Interest
This article relates to five of the eight Safety Member Certification training modules: Safety Team Fundamentals, Active Shooter Response, Deescalating Disruptive Persons, Protecting Children from Abuse, and Basic Use of Force Laws.[1]
From the Bible
And the number of them that lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, were three hundred men: but all the rest of the people bowed down upon their knees to drink water (Judges 7:6).
Then said they unto him, “Say now Shibboleth:” and he said “Sibboleth:” for he could not frame to pronounce it right... (Judges 12:6a).
For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist (2 John 1:7).
"And, lo, I perceived that God had not sent him; but that he pronounced this prophecy against me: for Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him" (Nehemiah 6:12).
Introduction
In the Bible verses above, there were different ways of identifying undesirable persons.
- First we see that God told Gideon to choose those men who were watchful to fight the Midianites.
- In Judges 12, the pronunciation of a word betrayed the warriors of Ephraim.
- In 2 John, the apostle identifies false teachers by their doctrine.
- Nehemiah was able to discern deceit in a messenger posing as a prophet.
What these passages illustrate is that we must be watchful, and there are ways of identifying persons coming into a church who may be problematic. By paying attention to the appearance and behavior of persons at the door, we may have a sense that in some cases not all is right.
This does not always mean that a person who gets our attention is intent on disruption. Sometimes he or she is a person in need of help, and therefore an opportunity for ministry.
In the News
These news stories reveal a few of the many things we need to discern:
Impersonation
New York City, Mach 3, 2024 - A man impersonating a priest was able to enter the rectory of a church, where he stole money from a priest's apartment. He did the same in other cities around the country and was finally arrested in California.[2]
Theft of Fixtures
San Francisco, California, March 2014 - A church in the Tenderloin District of San Francisco let homeless persons in to sleep on its pews. In March 2014, one of them extracted a stained glass window worth thousands of dollars and took it to a pawn shop.[3]
Vehicle Theft
Busia, Kenya, June 13, 2021 - A man feigned answering a phone and heading outside to steal a motor bike belonging to a parishioner.[4]
Active Killer
Laguna Woods, California, May 15, 2022 - A man who opened fire at a Taiwanese church's Sunday afternoon luncheon came in ten minutes after the morning service had started. He declined filling out visitor's form with some personal information (name, address, phone number), falsely claiming to have done it on a previous visit (nobody in the church recognized him). He wore a black shirt, while all the other men wore white shirts and ties. During the service, the shooter sat in the back and faked reading a newspaper.[5]
Display of Edged Weapon
Tulsa, Oklahoma, October 6, 2022 - A man carrying a cooler chest and a sword approached a cathedral and school in Tulsa. Students were outside on the front steps taking class pictures. The school gave a signal for the students to go inside and the doors were locked. The man went between the church and the school and threw Molotov cocktails at the church's windows, then left. He was arrested about a mile later after threatening a store.[6]
In Disguise
White Settlement, Texas, December 29, 2019 - The wig and false mustache worn by someone coming into church caught the attention of the security team. They kept watch on the man wearing this obvious disguise. During the service, he pulled a shotgun out from his oversized trench coat. After fatally shooting two church members, he was shot by the team leader.[7]
Watching People
In the 1972 hit song "Take It Easy," the writer is standing on a corner in Winslow, AZ, watching people go by (especially the girls). Whatever we may think about the person's way of spending time while waiting for help, it at least illustrates being observant of people going by.[8]
A key application of situational awareness is watching people. Safety team members, greeters, and ushers need to watch for signs that someone may be a threat or may need special attention. On the lowest level, a person coming to the door may have difficulty navigating the steps, and the greeter could offer help. On the other end of the spectrum may be someone intent on violence. In between, one person could be depressed, another could be having medical issues, and a third person could be a thief. Discernment will prompt us to consider the proper response.
Signs of Distress
If someone needs physical help, it may or may not be easy to see. Not everyone with difficulty walking has an obvious limp, so experience with mobility issues can make us more discerning. At the same time, openly offering help may not be well accepted by some, so we need to be able to read their demeanor. For instance, how do they respond when you say, "Good morning. How are you?"
Sometimes a person has emotional distress. This can have any of several causes. A casual conversation may lead into sympathetic verbal de-escalation. If they are agitated, then de-escalation is a real need.
Signs of Disruption
Some persons come into a church intent on one level or another of disruption. This may be a confrontation with another person over a personal issue, such as money owed, property damage, a misunderstanding, etc. Many times, verbal de-escalation can cool tempers.
The disruption may also be an indicator of mental illness.
Signs of Stealth
This can be a hard one to detect. A practiced thief can be so stealthy that it is not immediately obvious, but some persons' attempts at stealth can raise suspicions.
Usually a practiced thief is a new person to the church, not wanting to be recognized. He or she will be glad to be there, openly friendly, and so on. In this case it pays to always be aware of how people are acting. New visitors, of course, have a natural curiosity. However, a person looking for something to steal may be overly curious, not just admiring the woodwork and the chandeliers.
Some thieves will hang around the coat rack or other places where personal items may be within reach. Since they do not want to be observed, they'll be watching to see if they're being watched. To a practiced eye, this will be noticeable. The same goes for pickpockets and purse browsers.
Impersonation
In the first news story, a thief impersonated a priest, a ruse that worked in several churches around the country until he was finally caught. More commonly, a thief will impersonate a service person, such as a plumber or an electrician. Would-be kidnappers have impersonated parents or guardians of children. Sometimes it works.
In all cases, ask for identification. When it comes to service persons, also check with whoever would call for that service or have the schedules for maintenance. That way you will also have the name of the service company. Some fake service persons have assaulted church office personnel. The ruse was just to get in.[9]
As to kidnappers, have a secure log-in/log-out procedure.
Intent to Injure or Kill
We need to be alert for any signs of ill intent. First, monitor the grounds outdoors, since many attacks begin there. Use safety team members in the parking lot, position members inside to see out windows, and monitor surveillance cameras. Three of the signs to watch for are (1) stealthy movements between cars in the parking lot or among shrubs on the perimeter, (2) carrying weapons in a ready-to-use-position, and (3) dressed for assault.
At the door, be alert to signs of weapons. This includes clothing or other means of concealing a deadly weapon, bulges in clothing, etc. Some assailants come in clean, then go out to get weapons from a vehicle or a hiding place and return armed.
Other suspicious signs are being overdressed for the weather (such as a trench coat or overcoat too large), pacing, driving around the church parking lot repeatedly (especially when plenty of parking spaces are open), and loitering.
A key sign is violations of social boundaries. If someone just coming in goes down the aisle more than a few rows, this is suspicious, more so when they are late. More than a few times an attacker went all or most of the way down the aisle before producing a gun or knife. Other behaviors that violate social norms may also arouse suspicion, such as the visitor in Laguna Woods sitting in the back of the room "reading" a newspaper during the service.[10]
Train to Observe
In training, no matter what the topic is, stress situational awareness (e.g. being alert to weather conditions). Include watching persons in and around the church. Have persons not on the safety team play the role of suspectable persons coming in with others. Tell students to identify a suspectable person and tell the class what made them suspect that person.
Have impromptu drills. When you're with another member and see someone coming in, ask that member what he or she sees in or on that person.
Have a situational awareness class. Include watching Kris's special interview with Simon on situational awareness. Play it on a large screen for the class.[10]
Conclusion
Be on the alert for anything that would make you suspect that someone needs help or might pose a threat.
References
- Kris Moloney, Safety Member Certification, Sheepdog Church Security, © 2020 [https://sheepdog-church-security.thinkific.com/courses/safety-member-certification-2024].
- Ida Siegal, "Man arrested for impersonating priest to steal hundreds from Queens church: Police," NBC New York, July 18, 2024; Updated on July 19, 2024 [https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/queens-man-arrested-impersonating-priest-steal-queens-church/5611682/].
- C.W. Nevius, "Church forgives stained glass thief, but officer doesn't," SFGATE, Updated May 6, 2014 [https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/nevius/article/church-forgives-stained-glass-thief-but-officer-5455129.php].
- Anon, "CCTV Captures Thief Stealing During Church Service," Africa Press, June 16, 2021 [https://www.africa-press.net/kenya/all-news/cctv-captures-thief-stealing-during-church-service].
- Carlos Granda, Leanne Suter, and ABC7.com staff, "Deadly OC church shooting was 'politically-motivated hate incident,' authorities say," ABC7 Los Angeles, May 17, 2022 [https://abc7.com/church-shooting-laguna-woods-orange-county-investigation/11856129/].
- Amy Hybels, "Holy Family Cathedral and Classical School react after man threw Molotov cocktails at the church," October 6, 2022 [https://www.fox23.com/news/holy-family-cathedral-and-classical-school-react-after-man-threw-molotov-cocktails-at-the-church/article_30de355f-1140-53db-8578-19ab721cc8e9.html].
- Emily Bicks, "Church of Christ Shooting: 3 Dead In White Settlement, Texas," Heavy.com, December 30, 2019 [https://heavy.com/news/2019/12/church-of-christ-shooting/].
- Staff, Standin' on The Corner Park, Route 66 Road Map, no date [https://route66roadmap.com/attractions/standin-on-the-corner-park-in-winslow-arizona/].
- Terry Berringer, "Ministry Safety and ID's: Their Vital Role," Guest Articles, The Sheepdog Sentinel, Sheepdog Church Security, April 15, 2024 [https://sheepdog-church-security.thinkific.com/pages/security-articles?p=guardianship-of-children-the-vital-role-of-photo-id-badges-in-ministry-safety].
- Kris Moloney and Simon Osamoh, "Special Interview with Simon | Church Security Roll Call," Sheepdog Church Security Academy, November 11, 2021 [https://youtu.be/-3E48EUV3w0?list=PLiGluOUZx7Rd5tLJgcNnVPTcmo_hPwbsp].