In the aftermath of the church shooting in Charleston, religious organizations across the country are looking for ways to protect their parishioners. Unfortunately, deadly shootings and other violent crimes have disproportionately increased for churches and other religious establishments, driving the leaders to increase their preparedness for the unthinkable. Thankfully, the thought of “It won’t happen to us” has begun to shrink in their minds, and reality and statistics have begun to influence their decisions.

Below are some of the most critical aspects of protecting religious figures.