Faith Template – VFC – Dec 2020
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Incidents of Note:
November
- (2 Nov) Man arrested for aggravated assault, disorderly conduct – Wichita KS
- (5 Nov) Oregon man charged with knife attack at Port Angeles church – Port Angeles OR
- (6 Nov) Two men charged in arson – La Grange IN
- (8 Nov) Shooting outside Living Water Baptist Church – High Point NC
- (10 Nov) Pope John Paul II portrait defaced – Milford CT
- (11 Nov) Vandals ruin statue at Catholic Church – Shamokin PA
- (13 Nov) Five charged in statue damage – San Rafael CA
- (16 Nov) Threats to burn – Whitman County WA
- (17 Nov) Church Fires – Brewster WA
- (17 Nov) Pastor robbed in church parking lot – Omaha NE
- (22 Nov) Act of arson- Baton Rouge LA
- (23 Nov) Stabbing – San JoseCA
- (24 Nov) Man convicted of pulling down Montana religious monument – Kalispell MT
- (25 Nov) Man destroys 3 statues- Sunrise FL
- (25 Nov) Historic black church severely damaged – Holts Summit MI
- (26 Nov) Man facing a terroristic threat charge- San Antonio TX
December
- (2 Dec) Derry church target of repeated vandalism – Westmoreland PA
- (6 Dec) Church bank account hacked- Davenport IA
- (7 Dec) Rash of Burglaries – Barry County – MO
- (9 Dec) Jury convicts Illinois man in Minnesota mosque bombing- Clarence IL
- (10 Dec) Synagogue vandalized – Davenport IA
- (12 Dec) Alleged attack at a Hanukkah ceremony – Lexington KY
- (12 Dec) Vandals strike 244-year-old church – Orange County CA
- (13 Dec) Vandals hit black churches – Washington DC
Resources
The Power of Hello Guide for Houses of Worship
This guide promotes employee vigilance for our houses of worship stakeholders. Alert personnel can spot suspicious activity and report it. Keeping houses of worship facilities secure while sustaining the open and welcoming environment necessary for peaceful congregation requires a holistic approach to security.
Mitigating Attacks on Houses of Worship Security Guide
In theHouses of Worship Security Guide, CISA analyzed ten years of targeted attacks on houses of worship to provide context to the enterprise-wide security recommendations outlined in the previous chapters. The case studies reviewed are examples of the breadth of threats a house of worship faces daily. From physical attacks such as active shooter incidents, arsons,or bombings to less visible cyberattacks, a house of worship should be vigilant in its security practices.
High-Quality Emergency Operations Plans for Houses of Worship
Many people think of a house of worship as a safe area where violence and emergencies cannot affect them. However, violence in houses of worship is not a new phenomenon. In addition to violent acts, fires, tornados, floods, hurricanes, earthquakes, and arson also affect houses of worship. With many incidents occurring with little to no warning, many houses of worship are developing and updating plans and procedures to ensure the safety and security of their congregations, staff, and facilities.
View PDF
Resources to Protect Your House of Worship
The DHS Center carries out the policies and program priorities of the White House Office of Faith and Opportunity Initiatives, DHS and FEMA for faith and community-based organizations related to all-hazards preparedness; emergency and disaster response and recovery; and human trafficking.
Available Training
Mitigating Attacks on Houses of Worship Security Guide
On October 27, 2020, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), The U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), and the InfraGard National Capital Region held aFaith-Based Security and Safety Symposium webinarto discuss best practices and risk mitigation strategies for protecting houses of worship amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
View Video
Not a VFC Shield Member?
Report Suspicious Activity
Click on the link below to submit a suspicious activity report directly to the Virginia Fusion Center.
877-4VA-TIPS
This is an open-source product. Redistribution is encouraged.
Awareness through information sharing
This bulletin is the result of collaboration and cooperation from a variety of SHIELD programs and public safety orientated officals. Special thanks to the following partners.
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Virginia Fusion Center
© Virginia Fusion Center All rights reserved.
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