church security – SemperVerus

The Parking Lot: The First Part of a Security Incident

The International Protective Security Board (IPSB) is an independent, nonprofit entity devoted to promoting the protection industry’s interests by focusing on protective security trends, best practices, and professional development.

[ Read the SemperVerus article, Protection Book Review: Just 2 Seconds ]

With its Latin motto of “Vigilate” (keep watch or stay alert), “Semper Discentes” (always learning), and “Et Honorem” (and honor), it encompasses all public-facing sectors requiring security attention, including faith-based organizations.

[ Bookmark the SemperVerus CHURCH SECURITY INTELLIGENCE CLIPBOARD ]

Its semiannual publication is The Close Protection & Security Journal. Volume 2, Issue 1 includes the article, “The Parking Lot: The First Part of a Security Incident” (PDF) by Greg Williams and Brian Marren of Arcadia Cognerati, the principles of which can be applicable for church security teams.

[ Read the SemperVerus article, The 5 Lines of Defense in Church Security, Beginning Outside ]

It begins, “Before a school shooter can start killing, before a bank robber can pass a note to a teller, and before someone can rob a gas station, they have to pass through a parking lot. In the parking lot, the element of time and distance between the perpetrator and their victim already exists. You need to learn to exploit it to yield opportunity.”

Stay Legally Informed With Concealed Nation’s Interactive Concealed Carry Maps

While a majority of states allow for concealed carry reciprocity—the agreement between two or more states to recognize each other’s concealed carry permits—several states do not, including California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, and Rhode Island.

[ Read the SemperVerus article, Over 86% of Police Chiefs and Sheriffs Support National Concealed Carry Reciprocity ]

It is deplorable that the USA consists of a state-by-state complex patchwork of concealed carry legislation, of which unsuspecting, responsible, law-abiding armed self-defenders can easily be ignorant and in danger of unwittingly and innocently violating. Staying informed about concealed carry laws is more important than ever.

[ Read the SemperVerus article, Concealed Carry Permit Reciprocity Maps ]

Concealed Nation has created a suite of regularly updated free, mobile-friendly, and comprehensive Interactive Concealed Carry Maps, providing fast, accurate, and state-by-state breakdowns of the most important firearm laws in the country.

CCW Safe Lessons: Medical Series

With the objective to help self-defenders learn essential trauma skills that address the leading cause of preventable death in emergency situations, CCW Safe, the self-defense legal coverage membership program, has created a 4-part Medical Series of articles teaching important lessons. Each is linked below:

By semperverus
Posted on 12/14/202512/14/2025
1 Comment on CCW Safe Lessons: Medical Series

Interview With Christian Clark: Creator of Secure The Church App

SemperVerus interviewed Christian Clark, owner and lead architect at Swell Development, LLC. He is also a broadly experienced volunteer on his megachurch security team. He is the creator of a fascinating and comprehensive new mobile app developed explicitly for church security teams and other church ministries where communication among volunteers is vital.

[ Bookmark the SemperVerus CHURCH SECURITY INTELLIGENCE CLIPBOARD ]

From your experience as a volunteer church security team member, what is the need you’ve seen for creating an app that focuses on church safety and security?
As I served throughout the years on church security, I began to notice areas of deficiency in the way that church security was normally executed. There were many gaps in planning, communication, engagement, and visibility that created potential areas where church security could fail. Secure The Church aims to close those gaps.

[ Read the SemperVerus article, Checklist: Church Security/Safety Equipment ]

What is the Secure The Church app?
Many churches have already created security teams to help secure themselves from the various threats they face. Secure The Church is a software as a service (SaaS) application that allows churches of any size to take their security teams to the next level by helping them create and implement a strong security plan and by increasing volunteer communication, engagement, and visibility.