Church Video Surveillance Systems It would be nice to think that video surveillance systems using CCTV are not needed for churches and temples, but unfortunately these sacred places are not exempt from individuals who will steal from them. Churches and temples, just like any other establishment, need to protect their property from thieves and vandals and one of the best ways to help secure these places of worship is using a quality video surveillance system with indoor and outdoor security cameras and a surveillance DVR.
Church Asset Protection
 Churches have many different important assets that they may want to protect. This obviously includes the money stored in the church that is taken from collections and fundraisers. This will often amount to a lot of money, hundreds of dollars or more depending on the size of the church, and it is important for churches to ensure that the money people donate to the church, stays with the church. No one wants someone to break in and steal what is rightfully the church.
Churches often serve as a depository of sacred and historical objects. In the church there are historic records, artifacts and more that tell the tale of the area because, often, the church was the first place built in the town or city. Any vandalism or theft of these records or artifacts cannot be measured in dollar amounts because it is incalculable. For many, those records and artifacts are priceless. Using video surveillance in the areas that store these types of items is in the best interest of the church.
Burglary Happens
An unfortunate aspect of our current society is that nothing seems to be sacred, and many will steal from the church in an effort to further their own material gains. In fact, many steal from the very church that is working to help them in their lives, by providing a place to sleep, food, or help to get off the street.
It is naïve to think that churches cannot be broken into, or vandalized. Here are just a few examples of some recent and unfortunate events that have taken place in March of 2008.
- 2 Charged in Chruch Burglary -- "The Rockingham County Sheriff's Office announced the arrests of two people Thursday in connection with a church burglary." - News 14 North Carolina
- “Church arson likely random vandalism, fire official says … from 2004 to 2006 … Iowa recorded 21 church fires, with two intentionally set” - Telegraph Herald, Dubuque, Iowa
- Historic Church hit by Vandals -- “A more than 130-year-old church in Sandford has been the target of ongoing vandalism, leaving the congregation to pick up repair costs.” - News Durham Region
- Vandalia Church Robbed -- “St. Christopher Parish is reeling after a break-in at the church, in which money was stolen and property damaged” - Dayton Daily News - Dayton, Ohio
These are only examples from the past week as to churches that have been vandalized or broken into in the United States and elsewhere. As a result, it is clear that churches do need church surveillance systems.
Blending Surveillance Systems in with a Church
One stumbling block for church surveillance systems is that they look, well, too much like surveillance systems. Many people do not want the place that others come to for worship and sanctuary, to look like it is a fortress. They want people to feel at ease church, and not like they are being watched. However, video surveillance systems these days are meant to provide tasteful design, while including a high-tech surveillance equipment.
Cameras can be hidden in several places in a church where no one will notice them at all, least of all the burglars. Besides hidden cameras, many dome and other style cameras can blend quite well with the aesthetics of a church. Security cameras can be designed to look like they are meant to be there. In a church, people come to worship and feel closer to God, no one wants to feel like they are being monitored by the eye in the sky (and we are not referring to the big eye in the sky that people are there to worship).
Remote DVR Viewer Software for Churches
Church surveillance systems from CCTV Camera Pros can actually enable remote viewing using DVR viewer software. People can be authorized with a user ID and password to watch remotely to ensure no one breaks into the church. This wonderful feature means that people can view the church over the Internet and alert the police if anything suspicious happens.
Record Months Of Footage
 VHS video tape recorders are pretty much obsolete at this point. Digital video recorders (DVRs) have replaces VHS tape based recorders because they have become so cost effective as technology has adapted. No more do you have to change tapes every single morning. Now, you can capture and store weeks or months of video on a single hard disk drive. This means that if you have an incident occur, you just have to look to the DVRs history to what exactly occurred and when. You can also provide the police and FBI with a copy of the surveillance video footage by exporting the event to a CD or USB drive.
Surveillance DVRs are one of the greatest tools that a church can have at their disposal to capture and report crimes against them.
Conclusion
Churches are by no means free from the ravages of society. People can, and will, vandalize and rob churches. It is unfortunate that this happens, but churches and those who administer in them, should not rely on the kindness of people in these circumstances.
Churches are often seen as easy targets because they often lack surveillance systems and security cameras. However, word is beginning to spread that many churches are monitoring their surroundings, and thieves and vandals are beginning to realize that someone may be watching them at the church, other than God.
Don’t let your church be hit by vandals or thieves. Arm it with a high quality and tasteful surveillance system from CCTV Camera Pros.
To contact CCTV Camera Pros with help with you chruch or other surveillance system needs, please call us toll free @ 888-849-2288 or fill out a surveillance system quote request here.
|
|
