When It Comes to Being Prepared, Perhaps your Organization’s Culture Needs to Change. Hint- It Does.

I didn’t worry about it much in my twenties—I was too busy thinking about girls, rugby, motorcycles, and beer. Plus, I was pretty sure I could handle myself if push came to shove. Years of rugby and managing bars meant I could take a punch or two and keep going. But then I got married, we started having kids, and the math changed. Suddenly, it wasn’t just about me—if I’m down, who’s protecting my wife and children? Could I outrun trouble with toddlers in tow? For me, it came down to one thing: I’d never let my family be at the mercy of someone who could harm us. It didn’t mean I was scared—it meant I got trained, armed myself, and got ready. My wife was skeptical at first, but once she got my mindset—we will never be victims—she was on board. There’ve been moments since when she was glad we were prepared.

That mindset shift I made is what leaders of companies, schools, and religious organizations need to embrace. Do you want your people, students, or congregation at the mercy of a thug or violent extremist? Here’s why proactive physical security, including trained, armed guards, is non-negotiable.

1. Rising Threat of Targeted Violence

• Places of Worship: Attacks on churches, synagogues, and mosques surged 800% from 2018 to 2023, with 436 incidents in 2023 alone (Family Research Council). The June 22, 2025, Crosspointe Community Church shooting in Michigan, where an armed attacker injured people, including kids, shows the threat is real. Over half of attacks from 2009–2019 were armed assaults, often fueled by hate (CISA). Jewish and Muslim sites get hit hard, but Christian churches face plenty due to their numbers.

• Schools: School shootings are too common, with 188 incidents causing casualties from 2000 to 2022, including 46 in 2022 (K-12 School Shooting Database). Sandy Hook (2012, 26 killed) and Uvalde (2022, 21 killed) prove that schools are easy targets for disturbed or ideological attackers.

• Companies: Businesses face risks, too, with 14% of terrorist incidents tied to protests hitting them from 2020 to 2021 (CSIS). Tech, finance, or energy firms are vulnerable to extremists who are angry over politics or ideology, especially with social media fueling the flames. The 2020 riots demonstrated that businesses aren’t immune to violence.

• Big Picture: Overall, U.S. violent crime is down in 2025 (homicides may be below 4.0 per 100,000), but targeted attacks on these places are up, driven by hate, division, and unrest. You can’t ignore that.

2. Soft Targets Are Easy Prey

• Open Doors: Companies, schools, and worship sites are built to welcome people—employees, students, worshippers. That openness invites attackers seeking a significant impact.

• Weak Defenses: Too many places aren’t ready. Only 62% of pastors have active shooter plans (FRC), and just 45% of public schools had full-time security officers in 2019–2020 (NCES). Smaller businesses often have no security measures in place at all.

• Bigger Stakes: Attacks here hit hard, shaking trust and spreading fear. Leaders owe it to their people to protect not just lives but the sense of safety everyone needs.

3. Armed Guards Get Results

• Proof in Action: At Crosspointe Church in 2025, an armed guard stopped a shooter, saving lives. Same deal in 2019 at West Freeway Church of Christ in Texas—a volunteer took out a gunman in six seconds.

• Scaring Off Trouble: Attackers want easy targets. A 2021 FBI study says active shooters avoid places with armed security.

• Quick Response: Police take 5–10 minutes to arrive, with longer response times in rural areas. That’s too late. Guards act fast, critical when 80% of active shooter events end before police arrive (FBI, 2000–2019).

• Trained Right: Hire professionals; they aren’t cowboys—they’re trained in de-escalation, firearms, and crisis response, following strict state rules.

4. The World We’re In

• Division Drives Violence: Social media stirs up hate, targeting businesses over politics, schools over culture wars, or churches over beliefs. The risk is real, regardless of the crime statistics.

• No One’s Coming: Trust in cops is low—only 43% of people had confidence in them in 2024 (Gallup). You can’t count on outside help. Like I stepped up for my family, leaders need to step up for their people.

• Your Duty: Lawsuits hit if you’re negligent, and morally, you’re on the hook. Security shows you care.

5. Knocking Down Excuses

• Too Expensive?: Guards cost money, sure, but grants (like DHS’s $250M for nonprofits in 2022), shared security (like church volunteers), or focusing on high-risk spots make it doable. An attack costs way more lives and money.

• Ruins the Vibe? Some say guards don’t fit schools or churches. Use plainclothes ones, like synagogues do. Saving lives beats worrying about optics.

• Makes Things Worse? Trained guards de-escalate first, and FBI data says they stop attacks faster than unarmed folks.

6. More Than Just Guards

Guards are key, but you need the full package:

• Check Your Risks: Regular audits, like CISA suggests, spot weak points.

• Train Everyone: Active shooter drills (Run, Hide, Fight) are standard in 70% of schools (NCES) and should be everywhere.

• Toughen Up: Strong doors, shatterproof glass, and controlled entry stop attackers, like post-Sandy Hook school fixes.

• Team Up: Collaborate with law enforcement and share intelligence, such as the DOJ’s hate crime forums.

• Mind the Mind: Mental health support cuts risks, since 28% of worship attacks tie to mental illness (A-Mark Foundation).

Conclusion

Like I decided my family wouldn’t be victims, leaders of companies, schools, and religious organizations need to decide that their people won’t be either. With worship attacks up 800%, school shootings too frequent, and businesses in extremists’ sights, trained, armed guards are a must. In 2025, where division fuels targeted violence despite lower crime, guards stop attackers, save lives, and show you’re serious about safety. Add assessments, training, and more formidable defenses, and you’re covered. Don’t wait for a tragedy—change your mindset and act now.