Vandalism has occurred throughout Greater Cleveland’s Churches. From Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church in Tremont, to Immaculate Conception Church in Willoughby to St. Francis de Sales in Parma no area Churches are immune from this troubling trend. But what can a Church do?
Locking your doors and walking away is not enough today and with more Churches only being open on Sunday more proactive action must be taken. Below are a couple of ideas that may keep your Church safe from vandalism;
- Develop a working relationship with local law enforcement. Tell them you want to protect your building and are open to their suggestions. If you ask, police may also step-up patrols around your property.
- Consider security cameras. If no one is monitoring the cameras, they won’t stop a crime in progress. However, they could be a deterrent to vandals and burglars and provide a source of evidence at trial.
- Consider alarm systems. These range from alarms that make loud sounds to vastly more expensive options. It’s not all or nothing. If a siren sound scares off an intruder, then the alarm has done its job. It’s worth investigating the options.
- Light it up. Make sure your building and parking lot are well lit at all times. Criminals like darkness.
- Put up a gate to close your parking lot when activities are not occurring. This makes it more difficult for someone to get near your building to cause havoc. In addition, this keeps others out of your parking lot who may become a liability.
Every Church should have a well-constructed insurance policy. While not deterring or stopping vandalism it should assist you in getting back to providing the mission and ministries that you are guided by.
Before you have a vandalism claim or renew your insurance policy feel free to contact the Trusted Choice Insurance Agents at Richey-Barrett.
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