A security specialist helps secure a local place of worship in case of attack

The recent shootings at the Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks, California and in Pittsburgh have heightened fears that a mass shooting could happen in your community. But one man has a solution.

Allen Banks is a security specialist with over 40 years of security experience. He received training from former Secret Service and Military personnel. He is helping local places of worship be better prepared and protected if a mass shooter were to ever try to attack them. Banks did a security training initiative with Pastor Paul Berry of Calvery Chapel.

It was Banks near-death experience at the hands of a crazed shooter that gave him the passion to help others.

” I have actually looked down the barrel of someone pointing a gun with the intention of taking my life. I took a round in the neck and it was a close call, ” said Banks.

Pastor Berry has already implemented a security task force to ensure the church members safety during services. But he invited Banks help to ensure he is prepared beyond the measures already in place.

” I am concerned for any place of worship in our community. I think we can always improve our security here at church,” said Pastor Berry.

Banks says in addition to having an emergency action plan, prevention is key. He says to have a policy in place, a management team to investigate reports of threatening behavior, physical security and a security trained staff.

“I t does no good to have a CCTV monitor if there is no one that’s trained to observe it, or that knows what to look for… and if it’s vacant, if there is no one monitoring it,” said Banks.

Banks said complacency is the number one result of not being prepared for an attack.

“Often places of business say ‘well that’s never happened here so we don’t want to put those accelerated security measures in place’, ” said Banks.

But with mass shootings on the rise Banks says its time to be ready for any potential attack. Banks is the founder of Safeground Training found at www.safegroundtraining.com