Articles with situational awareness

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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Analyzing Active Threat Response Models: A Comparative Study

Founded in 2002 with principles strongly guided by the Christian faith, Strategos International comprises a team of over 500 contracted security specialists who provide reality-based training, consulting, and protection services across the globe for businesses, military, law enforcement, health care, schools, insurance companies, and churches.

[ Bookmark the SemperVerus CHURCH SECURITY INTELLIGENCE CLIPBOARD ]

Its article, Analyzing Active Threat Response Models: A Comparative Study, summarizes various recommendations of how to act in the event of an active killer situation.

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

Strategos describes its white paper as “an in-depth comparative analysis of active threat response models, focusing on the RUN, HIDE, FIGHT methodology, the A.L.I.C.E. response model, the A.D.D. (Avoid, Deny, Defend) approach, and the Strategos 3-OUT (Lock Out, Get Out, Take Out) Response Model. The objective analysis—grounded in research and real-world outcomes—evaluates each model’s effectiveness, flexibility, and applicability across varied situations. Key findings highlight differences in approach, training requirements, and situational responsiveness, underscoring the need for adaptable, comprehensive strategies to enhance safety and preparedness.”

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

The models examined are:

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Mitigating Attacks on Houses of Worship Security Guide

Terrorists, criminals, anarchists, and disrupters are attacking houses of worship (HoW). They assume HoW are soft targets; gun-free zones where media coverage and notoriety can be easily achieved through defenseless active killing.

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

In response, more HoW are establishing and training their own armed volunteer security teams.

[ Read the SemperVerus article, Enroll in the Sheepdog Church Security Academy Safety Member Certification Program ]

One resource for these teams is the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA)‘s 116-page PDF, Mitigating Attacks on Houses of Worship Security Guide.

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A List of Active Killer Incidents at Houses of Worship and Religious Schools

Some people in leadership at churches still question why it’s necessary to have an armed and trained church security/safety team as part of their dedicated ministry efforts.

[ Read the SemperVerus article, Active Killer Advice Compendium ]

The following list should be reason enough:

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•  Temple Israel Synagogue, West Bloomfield Township, Michigan, Mar. 12, 2026
A 41-year-old man rammed his pickup truck through the front doors of this 3,500-member family / 12,000-member Reform Jewish congregation, drove down a hall, opened fire with a rifle after striking the congregation’s director of security, knocking him unconscious, and after which the vehicle burst into flames, engulfing the structure. The attacker was shot and killed by armed synagogue security personnel. A large amount of what appeared to be explosives was found in the back of the vehicle. All 140 students in its early childhood center, along with staff and teachers, were unharmed. At least 30 law enforcement officers were taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation.

[ Read the SemperVerus article, Armed Congregants & Considerations for Synagogue Security ]

•  Brisbane Synagogue, Brisbane City, Queensland, Australia, Feb. 20, 2026
With his utility truck, a 32-year-old man slammed into and knocked down the front gates on the Shabbat evening, then sped off. Police tracked down the vehicle and charged the driver with a hate crime. No injuries were reported.

[ Read the SemperVerus article, The Biblical Case Why Every Church Needs Armed Security ]

•  Chabad-Lubavitch World Headquarters, Brooklyn, New York, Jan. 28, 2026
A 36-year-old driver repeatedly rammed his car into the entrance doors, damaging the building on a night when thousands had gathered there to celebrate. No injuries were reported. Police arrested the man.

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