Here is a list of equipment suggestions to include in your church security/safety office and as carried tools (depending on how many tools you want to carry, you may want to wear a sling bag, hip bag, or cargo pants):
Church security teams serve their congregations by overseeing the safety and decorum of church gatherings. Part of the training for team members includes the ability to quickly and correctly assess the reasons behind the disruptive behaviors of individuals during those events.
[ Read the SemperVerus article, Self-Defense and Church Security: Make Scanning Your Priority ]
Determining whether a person is unruly due to a mental health crisis or to an intentional violent motive will influence the proper response required to keep the peace.
[ Read the SemperVerus article, Chart: The Spectrum of Potential Threat Personas in Self-Defense and Church Security ]
The ministry Spiritual First Aid™ offers the free PDF resource, 25 Common Mental Health Fact Sheets, that helps identify the signs, symptoms, and triggers of mental health conditions people may struggle with; it’s a tool that can assist security team members in ascertaining whether de-escalation tactics or more extreme measures are necessary.
[ Read the SemperVerus article, Gentle Response De-Escalation Training for Church Security Teams ]
For example, the fact sheet on Intermittent Explosive Disorder (IED) states that this “is a mental health condition characterized by recurrent, sudden episodes of impulsive, aggressive, violent behavior, or angry verbal outbursts that are disproportionate to the situation. These episodes are typically brief and may result in physical harm to others, damage to property, or significant emotional distress, and they often lead to feelings of remorse or regret afterwards.”
[ Read the SemperVerus article, Tactical Training for Individuals and Church Security Teams to Thwart Active Violence Incidents (Part 2 ]
This comprehensive set of 25 fact sheets offers insights on the following topics:
SemperVerus interviewed Craig Gray, founder and trainer of PeaceWalker.org, a membership website that teaches simple and effective methods of personal protection and church security, and ways to handle conflict and live confidently. It provides solutions for dealing with conflict and violence, ranging from verbal arguments to physical assaults.
With your extensive background in protective services, martial arts, law enforcement training, and defensive tactics instruction, why did you create PeaceWalker.org?
I created our PeaceWalker private online community and training resource to help people who want to learn how to deal with conflict and violence more effectively. Anyone from anywhere in the world can connect with me and this community to learn this simple, effective method of personal defense, leadership, and lifestyle. This resource can be used on its own or in correlation with live in-person training.
With the title taken from Proverbs 15:1, “A gentle response defuses anger, but a sharp tongue kindles a temper-fire,” the book A Gentle Response: Conflict De-Escalation With A Ministry Mindset is written to guide staff and volunteers of all faiths and houses of worship in proven ways to defuse tense and potentially dangerous situations. Its author, John Riley, is an Army veteran, retired police officer, consultant, trainer, and founder/president of Gentle Response, a consulting company specializing in very dynamic, realistic conflict de-escalation training seminars which are specifically designed to help students develop stress inoculation, muscle memory, self confidence, and confidence in colleagues.
[ Read the SemperVerus article, Gentle Response De-Escalation Training for Church Security Teams ]
The book is filled with practical insight and examples by the author, gleaned from 20 years of road patrol experience, observations, and training as a certified crisis intervention specialist through the National Anger Management Association of what can be said and done by law enforcement officers to more effectively and successfully de-escalate a situation to ensure that everyone goes home safe. While it’s written to church security team members, it’s principles can be equally applied to individuals as part of your personal self-defense toolbox.
[ Read the SemperVerus article, A Prayer for Church Security Team Members ]
The following are highlighted quotes from the 90-page book: