The Growing Importance of Synagogue Safety Security Training

Security training is becoming an essential aspect of any organization — from synagogues to schools and retail stores. ABC News reports that there have been more mass shootings than days in 2021, 2022, and 2023; current violent crime trends don’t indicate those numbers will change any time soon.

While high rates of violent crime across the country, places of worship are at particularly high risk. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, 17.3% of hate crimes in the U.S. were motivated by religion in 2022, making religion the second-highest motivating factor. In turn, synagogues and other places of worship need to leverage proper training and planning to know how to respond to threats.

Best Practices for Synagogue Security Plans

With such a high risk of potential violence, synagogues need to ensure they have a security plan to mitigate potential emergencies. Here are few essential best practices for synagogues to implement when designing security plans.

Build a Synagogue Security Checklist

The first step to jump-starting synagogue security is pinpointing exactly what your synagogue needs to protect itself. Building a synagogue security checklist ensures that members of the synagogue understand exactly what they need to do to protect their building, both in preparation for synagogue vandalism and during breaches in security.

Synagogue security checklists can include procedures for setting up security systems, or be used to walk through emergent situations. Synagogues may also opt to create specific checklists for different threats, such as active shooters or riots. Additionally, checklists can be used to ensure potential volunteers undergo required synagogue security training.

Assign Synagogue Security Team Roles & Responsibilities

On the subject of volunteers — successfully implementing a synagogue security checklist requires a dedicated synagogue security team. Efficiently doling out roles and responsibilities to members of the synagogue is integral to better security.

When assigning roles, synagogue leadership should consider who can best handle any given task, including specialized volunteers such as law enforcement officers or medical professionals. Potential roles include team leaders, communication specialists, technology specialists, training coordinators, and security coordinators.

Review & Test Synagogue Alarm Systems

One of the best ways to stifle synagogue intruders & swiftly alert appropriate law enforcement of potential assailants is through the installation of a synagogue alarm system. With direct contact to authorities, alarm systems are a key component of any successful synagogue security plan.

Depending on the size, construction, and layout of a synagogue, alarm systems may encompass a variety of supplemental technologies to determine an intrusion. In turn, synagogue alarm systems may include door sensors, glassbreak detectors, & motion sensors, alongside hazard-specific sensors such as flood detection devices

Regardless of the technology, synagogue alarm systems offer an ideal way to immediately alert authorities in case of a dangerous approach. By connecting devices directly to the police, synagogues can gain instant responses to potential assailants — mitigating damage, theft, and even violence.

Install & Monitor Security Cameras

Working in tandem with alarm systems, synagogue security cameras help surveil suspicious parties & potential assailants both in and around synagogues.

Synagogues should place cameras in strategic locations, including entryways, windows, spaces with heavy foot-traffic, and rooms kept away from the public. Modern surveillance cameras can connect to the internet for 24/7, accessible security monitoring. Cameras can even integrate with synagogue alarm systems for a holistic, responsive security system – helping determine exactly who attempted a breach of synagogue security, alongside where and how they did it.

Implement a Physical Synagogue Security System

While security cameras and synagogue alarm systems can help authorities track down, neither do much to actively stop intruders from entering a synagogue. To slow an assailant, synagogues need to install physical synagogue security.

Safety window film, such as 3M™ Safety & Security Window Films is the ideal first step towards improving physical security in synagogues. Useful in diverse situations, security window film can add essential resistance against blasts, active shooters, and forceful impact from blunt objects. 3M™ Safety Film can also combine with other film for enhanced safety and additional benefits, including temperature control with sun control film.

Synagogues may also consider security glass systems such as DefenseLite. A heavy-grade, architectural grade security shield, DefenseLite uses an extruded frame and nearly impenetrable polycarbonate to prove another reliable option for synagogue physical security.

Complete Your Synagogue Security Plan With Security Window Film

Leveraging these best practices, synagogues can gain peace of mind that they are prepared in case of conflict. Creating checklists and assigning roles ensure members of the synagogue know how to react to specific conflicts, implementing security & surveillance systems can increase law enforcement response times, and installing window film can greatly slow violent approaches. When purchasing window film, synagogues should look to hire a trusted installation team to ensure the highest level of physical protection.

Window Film Depot is the #1 security window film dealer in the US. We have successfully installed our reliable glass security solutions on the windows & doors of diverse religious institutions across the United States — from synagogue to churches, mosques, and more. Contact us today to greatly improve physical security in your synagogue.