Articles with church security

Interview With Cody Blocker, Certified Protection Specialist

SemperVerus interviewed Cody Blocker, Certified Protection Specialist, founding member and past president of the Midwest Church Security Coalition, author of Protecting Your Church: Thoughts on Church Security and Leadership, and founder of Safety Systems Group, self-defense training company.

[ Bookmark the SemperVerus CHURCH SECURITY INTELLIGENCE CLIPBOARD ]

Please describe Safety Systems Group.
Safety Systems Group is my consulting and training company that focuses on church security. I teach volunteer church security teams all the “hard skills” like defensive tactics and handguns, but I specialize in training volunteer teams in the “soft skills” of awareness, threat assessment, behavior recognition, and verbal de-escalation.

[ Read the SemperVerus article, Gentle Response De-Escalation Training for Church Security Teams ]

Why have you included the topic of church security in the training you provide?
Security falls under the umbrella of stewardship. We need to protect what God has entrusted to us. I started as the director of security for a large church in the Midwest and saw the need. I have a passion for the kingdom, and I don’t like churches being seen as soft targets. I believe each church needs to have a strong stewardship value and protect itself.

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Review of TEKTO’s F1 Alpha EOTECH Edition Tactical Knife

The University of Michigan created Environmental Research Institute of Michigan (ERIM) in 1972 as a stand-alone non-profit organization with roots in military and environmental research, contributing to the development of remote sensing, radar, and holography applications. ERIM’s subsidiary, EOTECH, was established in 1995 to apply holographic technology to small firearms sights.

While it produces holographic and hybrid sights, magnifiers, rifle scopes, pistol sights, sensors, and cameras, EOTECH’s mission also includes other high-performance weapon accessories. It has now partnered with TEKTO, a recognized force in the tactical knife field, designing “purpose-built knives for life’s most demanding missions.”

[ Read the SemperVerus article, Checklist: Categories and Their Items for Every Day Carry (EDC) ]

This collaboration merges EOTECH’s heritage of precision optics with TEKTO’s expertise in tactical blade engineering, resulting in a tough yet refined tactical blade well designed for EDC.

[ Read the SemperVerus article, Significant Six EDC for Self-Defense in Terrorist Times ]

SemperVerus received a complimentary copy of the F1 Alpha EOTECH Edition for review purposes. This lightweight, limited-edition tactical folding knife, with an open length of 7.78 inches, combines the reputations of TEKTO’s craftsmanship with EOTECH’s precision.

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Interview With Vaughn Baker, President of Strategos International

SemperVerus interviewed Vaughn Baker, president of Strategos International, the global firm specializing in security training, consulting, and executive protection services for school, healthcare, government, law enforcement, military, and faith-based organizations.

[ Read the SemperVerus article, Analyzing Active Threat Response Models: A Comparative Study ]

Please describe Strategos International and the multiple services you provide.
Strategos International is a national security consulting and training firm dedicated to helping organizations protect their people and purpose. Since 2002, we’ve served clients across corporate, healthcare, K-12/college, government, and faith-based sectors with a comprehensive, values-driven approach that aligns well with SemperVerus’ emphasis on being prepared, aware, and steadfastly “staying true.”

Our Four Divisions
1) Training

  • Conflict management & de-escalation (The S.A.F.E. Approach) for staff and leaders.
  • Active threat response (PREVAIL! e-learning and instructor-led).
  • Church security team development, usher/greeter safety, volunteer protection skills.
  • Workplace violence prevention, behavioral threat awareness, and scenario-based drills.

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Preparation Warnings from Former CIA Analyst, Sarah Adams

Sarah Adams is an award-winning CIA targeting officer and global threat advisor with extensive domestic and international experience. Ms. Adams held positions in the government and non-profit sectors and has worked overseas on behalf of the US government’s intelligence mission in Europe, the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia. She is the co-author of Benghazi: Know Thy Enemy.

[ Read the SemperVerus article, 2025 Annual Threat Assessment of the US Intelligence Community ]

Her frequent posts on X concern current events and offer insightful observations on the terrorism threat landscape worldwide. She posted the following caution and preparation warning on X Oct 13, 2025, the day President Trump declared the war in Gaza was over and the terrorist cabal Hamas finally freed the last living 20 Israeli hostages:

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