Chapter One
Building for SecurityOne of my many jobs in my twenty-two years in the Navy
was that of an "inspector general" of an engineering component
of the Department of Defense. My duties included evaluating
the project that was designed by the Navy and
completed by a contractor. Early in this tour, I became deeply
concerned about the wide variance between the cost that was
estimated for a job and the actual money given to a contractor
at the completion of the job. I discovered that the vast difference
was due in part to the poor design by my organization's
engineers. Bidding contractors would look at the blueprints
and specifications and find the numerous flaws and then bid
low, knowing that after they were awarded the contract, they
could get change orders written. Their profit was not in the contract
but in the numerous costly change orders granted.
Now my momma didn't raise a dummy. That was my
daddy's and my own tax dollars that were being wasted! I told
the engineers that they had to create excellent working documents
and that the contract would be built exactly as they
designed it-with no change orders granted. What's more, I
told them that if errors existed after the project was completed,
they would have to go in after the fact and fix it themselves. It
took a few poorly designed jobs for them to realize that I was
for real. In time the Navy started getting its money's worth on
contracts.
PLAN AHEAD FOR SECURITY
I learned an important lesson in this experience: The design is
important. And, most important of all, it costs a whole lot more
to go back in and fix something after the fact than to do it right
in the first place. As a member of a church, I have served on
three building committees, and as a professor of administration,
I have consulted with numerous other churches about
their building program. Guess what issue is not on the top of
their list of concerns for the building program (actually, most
of the time it doesn't even make the list): SECURITY. Everybody
has their own agenda: The deacons and elders want to know
how we're going to pay for it; the pastor wants to know if it will
look good; the parishioner wants to know if the seats will be
comfortable; and on and on it goes. Even the media personnel
are typically not concerned with the security of their expensive
equipment, just with the need for it to look good and to sound
good. Before I discuss issues relating to good building techniques
with security in mind, I want to deal with the important
issue of planning.
ASSIGN A WORK GROUP TO
STUDY SECURITY ISSUES
Even though this book's main focus is not on planning for and
erecting a church building, the topic must be briefly introduced.
Most building programs begin with a perceived need,
then a study group is formed to visualize the perception, and
finally a building committee is created to plan for the building
project - whether new construction or remodeling. To
ensure that the project glorifies God and not human beings, I
would strongly suggest that individuals who serve on these
groups be church leaders (including the pastor) who have a
vision for the church and community and who are spiritually
attuned to the church's mission. Let's give the name "Project
Steering Committee" to this latter group. We'll use the termsteering to indicate that this group controls all facets of the
project from design to construction to paying for it.
Each member of the steering committee will be assigned
leadership in the development of several subcommittees that
will see the project details through. One subcommittee may be
assigned the role of acquiring land, another the role of overseeing
a finance campaign, while still another the role of generating
publicity for the project. A subcommittee will be formed to work
with the architect in the design of the facility, possibly another
subcommittee to work with the builder, and maybe even another
to select the furnishings for the new facility.
It is at the subcommittee level that work groups need to be
formed. The steering committee provides general and spiritual
leadership. The subcommittees provide general and practical
expertise. The work groups become subelements that research
and recommend specific details for the project. For example, in
the design of a sanctuary, who best to recommend media
requirements to the design subcommittee than a work group
composed of individuals who are familiar with the equipment,
who will operate it, and who will have to answer to Aunt
Maude when she complains that the music is too loud.
Note the following chart of how the Design and Construction
subcommittee might use work groups for a sanctuary
remodeling project:
I strongly recommend the formation of a work group of
persons who are familiar with security systems and resources
that aid in the design of secure facilities, as well as those persons
who have practical knowledge in security measures. This
group becomes the research foci for dialogue with community
and law enforcement agencies that have offices that can help in
the practical aspects of the design. These work group members
go online to the hundreds of sites that describe security systems
and measures. They observe and evaluate existing systems and
talk with the people who operate them.
"Wait a minute! Isn't the architect supposed to do this?"
you ask. Well, yes and no. Architects are gifted men and women
who want to please their clients and receive their just reward.
They listen to their clients and provide them with what they
want in a buildable, well-engineered, safe structure. Yet I've discovered
that, while they are by and large very talented and
competent designers who are familiar with the latest construction
techniques and materials, most are not security technicians.
If you want security as part of the package, they are
usually happy to hire a consultant for you and charge you
accordingly. Or you can form a work group and tell them what
you want-and maybe save a buck or two in the end.
CONSIDERATIONS FOR DESIGNED SECURITY
Remember the story of the three little pigs? The pigs who built
their church-I mean, their house-of straw and wood had the
house blown down by the big bad wolf. It was the smart pig-the
one who used bricks-who built an enduring structure. I
think Scripture has a word or two to the wise. We are admonished
to avoid building with wood, hay, or straw (1 Corinthians
3:10-15) and seek instead to build with durable materials.
Jesus even talked about building on a firm foundation where
our structure will not be washed away (Matthew 7:24-27).
The choice of your building or remodeling materials will determine
to a large extent the level of your interest in safety and
security. Here are some considerations that your security work
group can evaluate:
Build Exterior Walls with the Most Durable Material
Stone, brick, or masonry are obvious first choices. The more
durably the structure is built, the more secure it will be. Think of
the long-term maintenance of the structure. While it may be
cheaper to build a wood-sided building, be sure to evaluate the
costs throughout the lifetime of the structure. It is probably more
cost-effective to construct a more durable and secure exterior.
Provide Secure Entry Points
(Continues.)
