Lessons from Executive Protection to Adapt to Church Security

What can past attacks teach us about protecting executives today? The report, Historical Patterns in Attacks on Executives: Threats Exposure and Protective Strategy by Joe LaSorsa of LaSorsa & Associates, examines recurring motives, vulnerabilities, and practical lessons for security teams, such as:

• Visibility, predictable routines, and access help shape an executive’s exposure.
• Threats can involve overlapping motives, including grievance, financial gain, and ideology.
• Digital privacy and physical security need to work together.
• Protection plans should include family support, medical response, and business continuity.

[ Read the SemperVerus article, Protection Book Review: Just 2 Seconds ]

While the report focuses on violent incidents in the corporate and political worlds—involving Abraham Lincoln, John F. Kennedy, J. Paul Getty III, Ronald Reagan, and others—the defensive principles extracted from these executive protection attacks can be applied to church security environments—including ministry leaders, congregational attendees, and the church building—such as the following:

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    •  Effective protection begins by identifying the combinations of motive, access, and vulnerability.

[ Read the SemperVerus article, Chart: The Spectrum of Potential Threat Personas in Self-Defense and Church Security ]

    •  Motive categories and threat-actor profiles include: personal grievance, conflict with leadership or members, extreme ideological differences, financial pressure, social activism, or a desire for media notoriety.

[ Read the SemperVerus article, A List of Active Killer Incidents at Houses of Worship and Religious Schools ]

    •  Threat exposures include: public visibility, perceived wealth, decision authority, access to sensitive information, public controversy, ministry travel, and facility operating conditions.

[ Read the SemperVerus article, Prepare for Teams of Terrorists, Says Gabe Suarez ]

    •  Physical and digital risks should be managed together. Physical security, cybersecurity, information privacy, protective intelligence, and crisis management should share relevant information and escalation procedures.

[ Read the SemperVerus article, What You Should Know to Prepare for Mobs Invading Church Services ]

    •  Security considerations should have within their scope an awareness of criminal activity in proximity to the church campus, reported organized cybercrime, local political and social instability, expressions of ideological extremism, and law enforcement reports of domestic disputes.

[ Read the SemperVerus article, Church Security PDF Library: Multi-Source Free Manuals ]

Read the full report here.

[ Read the SemperVerus article, LaSorsa & Associates Executive Protection Incidents Report ]

LaSorsa & Associates provides security consulting and protective services for executives, families, organizations, and security teams. Its work includes executive protection, security consulting, residential security, technical surveillance countermeasures, protective intelligence, privacy services, program development, and specialized training.

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