Church "Backpack" Policy

Many years ago the church where I was director of security had a security incident where an individual brought a backpack into the main sanctuary with a handgun ready for deployment. You'll need to watch the video to get the whole story, but the results were that we decided to not allow backpacks and such into the main room.

This was a controversial decision at first, mainly objected to by church members, but after a while it was accepted.

These days I can see that it might be more accepted after such incidents as the Boston Marathon bombing. Bringing an object into the church of any size other than a bible is an ideal way for a Jihadist to carry out his/her objective of killing hundreds of Infidels. In Al Qaeda's first issue of their magazine "Inspire" they gave explicit instructions on how to make such a device. You can download and read it from the link below.

https://azelin.files.wordpress.com/2010/06/aqap-inspire-magazine-volume-1.pdf

My question to the detractors of such a policy would be. "Why does anyone need to bring a Pressure Cooker sized backpack into the main auditorium?"

Here is the link to the video featuring Lamar Slay discussing the policy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0s4SFQ51KXw

Something to consider in your Policy and Procedures?

Actual Written Policy

The following items are not to be allowed in the main sanctuary during worship service hours:

• Back Packs of any size (unless it is a primary purse of a female attendee)
• Shopping bags (other than those from the church bookstore/café)
• Fanny Packs
• Brief Cases
• Shoulder Book bags
• Luggage of any type
• Boxes of any kind
• Food or Drinks
• Cameras or video equipment (suspended during baby dedication services, baptisms or special children's programs).

Attendees should be told that they will not be allowed in the worship service with those items.

Preemptive advice before policy enforcement:

• Parkers should advise attendees of the policy.
• Greeters at the church doors should advise attendees of the policy.
• Ushers should mingle with the waiting crowd before sanctuary doors open for service advising waiting attendees of the policy.

Policy enforcement:

• Usher are to enforce the policy at the door when handing out programs.
• They are to tell the attendees that they can not allow the item in the worship service and need to take it back to their vehicle.
• Usher Captains are to support the door ushers in the enforcement of policy.

Any person not willing to comply should be asked to leave by the Head Usher, supported by a Security team member.

Under no circumstances is anyone to offer to search bags and then the bags to be let into the service.
Under no circumstances is anyone to offer to hold the bags in another location inside the church.

Exceptions: Baptisms – Some churches have their people who are going to be baptized to bring an extra change of clothes. On those occasions there should be a separate area to store their bags away from the most populated areas.

All Ushers and Security team members are to be on constant alert for items that were missed at the door.