DHS Releases Guide for Houses of Worship to Enhance Security Amid Heightened Tensions

The guide, developed in response to a spike in hate crimes, provides faith-based communities with strategies to mitigate the threat of targeted violence and prepare for potential incidents.

• The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has released a guide to help houses of worship protect themselves amid heightened tensions and an increase in hate crimes.
• The guide, released through the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), provides specific actions that faith-based communities can take to mitigate the threat of targeted violence and prepare for potential incidents.
• The guide includes practical measures such as identifying someone to take charge of security-related matters, implementing additional measures through risk assessment to address security gaps, and having a response plan in place.
• The release of the guide comes amid a spike in reported hate crimes since the onset of the war between Israel and the militant Palestinian group Hamas, with a significant increase in threats against the Jewish community, as well as attacks against Muslim targets.
• The guide will be distributed via CISA offices around the country and the agency’s network of roughly 125 protective security advisers who work with various communities to provide security advice.

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