Christian Community Safety Kit

A step by step guide to community safety

Dear pastor, activist, community leader, brother or sister,

This “Christian Community Safety Kit” has been developed to better equip you and your community with the knowledge necessary to protect against anti-Christian bigotry or attacks, and to secure your basic legal rights. In times of difficulty, we ask people to depend on Jesus Christ, with prayers, especially for those who are suffering.

How to use this resource kit:

-          Read this kit carefully

-          Circulate it to your friends and family

-          Photocopy relevant portions and post in your church, Christian center or organization

-          Contact the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ) if you have any questions or if you do not understand any part of this kit

Excerpts from the Christian Community Safety kit

REPORT SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY IN YOUR COMMUNITY

Christians must do their part to ensure the safety and security of our nation. If anyone notes suspicious persons or activities in their community, they should report it immediately to the local Field Office of the FBI. http://www.fbi.gov/contact/fo/fo.htm

DEVELOP A LEGAL CONTACT LIST

Develop a list of attorneys who are willing to be consulted by the Christian community in response to anti-Christian incidents. Ask Christian attorneys to volunteer their services to community members during this time of crisis.

DEVELOP POSITIVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES

Christian community leaders should immediately coordinate meetings between representatives of the Christian community and local, state and national law enforcement agencies. These meetings should focus on ways in which the Christian community can help national security and on how authorities can protect Christian and Pro Life Americans from harassment and discrimination.

 

MEET WITH ELECTED OFFICIALS TO DISCUSS CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY CONCERNS

Delegations of Christian representatives should schedule meetings with local, state, and national elected representatives or their key staff to discuss the Christian community concerns. To find out who represents your area on the national level, go to: http://www.house.gov/Welcome.shtml or http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

BUILD COALITIONS WITH INTERFAITH AND MINORITY GROUPS

Similar meetings should be coordinated with representatives of local interfaith and minority groups. These meetings should focus on building lines of communication and support, and hearing for these groups how they deal with discrimination and bigotry.

MEET WITH LOCAL SCHOOL PRINCIPALS TO DISCUSS STUDENT SAFETY

Representatives of the Christian community should meet with local school administrators to discuss safety plans for student and to sensitize the administrators to harassment of Christian students.

BUILD A EMERGENCY CONTACT LIST

Christian Community leaders should develop emergency email and phone contact lists to be used in case of an incident that threatens the Christian community’s safety. Local pastors, Christian center board members, and Christian activists should be on the lists.

A second list should be developed containing contact information for all local law enforcement agencies.

HOLD A CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY MEETING TO INFORM OTHERS OF SAFETY GUIDELINES

Call for a meeting of local Christian community to discuss the information outlined in this kit. The meeting should take place at a local church or Christian center and should be advertised using the emergency contact list.

ESTABLISH A COMMUNITY SUPPORT NETWORK

Establish a network of Christian community members who can offer emotional and material support to those who may be the victims of crimes or discrimination. Victims should not be left alone to deal with the negative impact of such incidents.

REACT TO INCIDENTS OF ANTI-CHRISTIAN HATE

If you believe you have been the victim of an anti-Christian crime or discrimination, you should:

-          Report the incident to you local law enforcement and FBI office IMMEDIATELY. Ask that the incident be treated as a hate crime. Ask witnesses to give you their name and contact information.

-          Inform ACLJ even if you believe it is a “small” incident. Incidents may be reported online at: https://www.aclj.org/Contact/  or TEL: 757-226-2489, FAX: 757-226-2836

-          Document the incident. Write down exactly what was said and/or done by the offender. Save evidence. Take photographs and/or videos of the incident.

-          Act quickly. Each incident must be dealt with when it happens, not when convenient.

-          Decide on the appropriate action to be taken. Consider issuing a statement from Christian community leaders, holding a news conference, organizing a protest, meeting with officials, or starting a letter writing campaign.

-          Mobilize Christian community support. Contact ACLJ and local church or Christian organizations.

-          Stay on top of the situation.

-          Announce results. When the incident is resolved, make an announcement to the same people and Christian organizations originally contacted.

CHURCH SECURITY GUIDELINES

Areas of Vulnerability

-          Churches located in isolated areas.

-          Churches left unattended for extended periods of time.

-          Churches with unsecured doors and/or windows

-          Absence of a burglar alarm system.

-          Heavy exterior vegetation (shrubs, etc…) in which criminals hide.

-          Absence of exterior lighting.

Take the following safety measures

-          Build good relationships with neighbors of the mosque. Invite them to visit your Christian center.

-          Try to have people attend the church as much as possible. Activity deters perpetrators.

-          Make an appointment with the community relations officer of your local law enforcement to tour your Christian center and make suggestions on improving church security.

-          Request additional law enforcement patrols in the vicinity of your church. Special attention should be paid to times of darkness and during church activities.

-          Consider creating a security committee at you church.

-          Post church members at entrances and parking areas during church services.

-          Report suspicious packages to local law enforcement. Do not touch them.

-          Install perimeter floodlights outside the church.

-          Install fire and burglar alarm systems.

-          Replace hollow core doors with more secure solid doors.

-          Install burglarproof bars on screens and large vents. (Note – Research local ordinances before beginning security renovations. For example, window bars should not limit evacuation in case of fire.)

-          Trim shrubs and vines to reduce areas of concealment.

-          Participate in neighborhood watch programs.

-          Document descriptions of suspicious people or vehicles.

-          Make duplicates of all important papers, computer disks and records.

-          Remove potential fire hazards, such as trash and debris.

-          Consider installing security cameras.

RESPONDING TO BOMB THREATS

-          Distribute written instructions on handling bomb threats.

-          Keep the caller on the line as long as possible. Ask that the message be repeated. Record or write down everything that is said.

-          Ask for the location of the bomb.

-          Inform the caller that the detonation of a bomb could hurt many innocent people.

-          Pay attention to background noises such as music, which may give a clue to the caller’s location.

-          Listen closely to the caller’s voice. Make note of accents, voice quality (calm, excited) or speech impediments.

-          Report the threat immediately to local law enforcement, ATF and FBI. Have appropriate phone numbers listed in written instructions.

-          If the threat comes in the form of a letter, save all materials, including the envelope. Handle the letter as little as possible.

-          Search the interior and exterior of the church. Evacuate the building if a suspicious package or device is found.

SUSPECT LETTERS AND PACKAGES

What to look for:

-          Name and title of addresses are not accurate.

-          No return address or the sender is not known to the addresses.

-          Handwriting is distorted.

-          Unprofessionally wrapped, uneven, bulky, and lopsided.

-          Contains bulges or soft spots.

-          Poorly wrapped package is marked “Fragile-Handled with Care,” “Rush,” or has unusual restrictions such as “Personal” or “Private.”

-          Excess amount of postage.

-          Protruding wires or tin foil.

-          Package makes a buzzing or ticking noise, a sloshing sound or emits an odor.

What to do:

-          DON’T open the package or letter.

-          DON’T put it in water or in a confined space such as a drawer.

-          DO isolate the article and secure the immediate area.

-          DO open windows if possible to help vent potential explosive gases.

-          DO contact your local law enforcement and postal inspector.