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Armed Intruder Training

Empowering you to respond before violence happens.

There’s nothing more important than the well-being of your staff, volunteers and the people you serve. Protecting them from harm is your top priority – and the best way to do that is to be prepared.

GuideOne has partnered with Strategos International to offer:

  • Specialized armed intruder/active shooter training for religious organizations, schools, nonprofits and businesses
  • A variety of web-based and in-person training modules
  • Tailored training to your specific organization type and unique security goals
  • Exclusive discounted pricing for GuideOne customers

Course Offerings

Religious Organizations

Foundational Security Principles, Intruder Awareness & Response for Church Personnel

Virtual Course (2-3 hours) | 10% off with code G11DIAR

Looking to start a security ministry, or already have one in place and looking for new or additional information? This on-line course will describe the critical security foundational principles you must have in place to help keep your organization safe. This course will educate you on recognizing behavioral pre-cursors to suspicious behavior and discuss the behavioral indicators of armed individuals, whether they are lawfully or unlawfully armed. The course also provides strategies for de-escalating conflict from a verbal perspective, including what phrases and language to avoid. It details lockdown procedures for threats inside and outside your facility (as well as what to do if the lockdown fails).

Intruder Awareness/Response & Conflict Management for Church Personnel

In-Person Class (1 day) | 10% off with code G11DIAR

Many churches have taken comfort in the thought that “it could never happen here.” But headlines and a steadily-growing body of statistical evidence demonstrate that violence in faith-based organizations is not an if, but a when. Equip and empower your frontline team (security volunteers, ushers, greeters) to spot and stop trouble before it starts. This training helps team members identify suspicious behavior and act peacefully and proactively with the goal of de-escalating potential conflicts. It details lockdown procedures for threats inside and outside your facility (as well as what to do if the lockdown fails) and incorporates hands-on practice.

Church Security Planning for Leadership & Intruder Awareness/Response

In-Person Class (2 days) | 10% off with code G11DIAR

This training will equip your staff and key volunteers to create a personalized security plan that protects your congregation while maintaining a welcoming environment. At the end of the course, you’ll be thoroughly equipped to begin (or re-launch or improve) your church security ministry. You’ll also learn how to identify suspicious behavior and act peacefully and proactively with the goal of de-escalating potential conflicts. Each participant will leave each day with a comprehensive, practical 70-page workbook so that you can bring the learning home with you and put it into action.

Host a Course at Your Organization

Interested in hosting a training course at your religious organization? There is no fee to host, and you will receive three free registrations just for hosting! Schedule a call with Strategos to discuss the course you’d like to host.

Nonprofit Organizations and Small Business

PREVAIL! Active Shooter Preparedness

Virtual Course (2 hours) | 10% off with code G1PREVAIL

This online workplace violence and active shooter response training can help any employee at any type of organization recognize, respond to and survive workplace violence. The modules discuss the key points in an active shooter event, normalcy bias and how to avoid it, how to get away from active shooters and understanding the psychology and motivation of the attacker. The course is offered as an interactive eLearning package.

Workplace Violence Active Shooter Prevention & Response

In-Person Course (2 or 4 hours) | 10% off with code G1WPV

The objectives and topics covered during this training provide workplace leaders, administrators, supervisors, human resource personnel, security and front-line personnel with information and strategies on recognizing and responding to a violent intruder. The program teaches the guiding principles and strategies to recognize behavioral precursors to threatening and potentially violent incidents, and how to respond accordingly.

Conflict Management & De-Escalation

In-Person Course (4 hours) | 10% off with code G1WPV

Many conflicts can be minimized or avoided with education. This course helps managers and employees diffuse a crisis by focusing on communication, safety awareness, recognition and de-escalation of real-world workplace violence situations, as well as teaching self-defense skills for self-protection while calling and waiting for rescue.

Educational Organizations

School Active Shooter Intruder Response

In-Person Class (4 hours) | 10% off with code G1ASIRCS

This course teaches school staff, administrators, school resource officers and other personnel how to prevent and report an active shooter situation, including how to properly engage with and respond to a threat. It also educates participants about how to protect themselves and students until the police arrive and what to expect from officers once they arrive.

Frequently Asked Questions

How should I train my organization’s armed security team?

  • Make sure all team members have appropriate licenses, certifications and training in compliance with state and local law.
  • Work with local law enforcement to design a security plan for your organization that complies with your jurisdiction’s rules and regulations.
  • Develop an organizational security plan that prepares in advance for an armed intruder, details how to react during an attack and describes how to respond after an attack. The plan should include the duties of your organization’s armed and unarmed representatives. Understand that your plan and how its procedures are followed, implemented and executed may be subject to scrutiny during post-attack litigation.

How will my GuideOne policy respond to a claim involving my armed security detail responding to an active shooter?

  • Organization. If the named insured is an organization, it will be afforded coverage based on the vicarious acts of others.
  • Employees/Volunteer Security Detail. In the event your armed detail is made up of employees and/or volunteers, those individuals will be afforded protection as insureds only when (a) they are following the protocols developed by the organization and (b) only when they are acting within the course and scope of their volunteer or employment status.
  • Protocols. Akin to the protocols established by the police and military, your organization’s security protocols must be specific in setting forth the limited circumstances when an employee/volunteer may engage a shooter. A clear understanding of when to engage (or not) not only provides the organization with a better security detail, but also establishes when an employee/volunteer is acting within the course and scope of their volunteer or employment status.
  • Hired Security Detail. Unlike employees or volunteers, a third-party security detail (armed or not) will not be afforded protection under your policy, as coverage does not extend to third-party businesses, nor does the policy’s premium capture the exposure of a third-party business. Moreover, should your organization hire a third-party security detail, you should expect the third-party business to hold your organization harmless and defend you against all liability and damages caused by the security detail.
  • Neither Employee/Volunteer nor Hired Security Detail. A third scenario may arise when a well-intentioned invitee or guest engages the shooter and causes bodily injury or property damage. In this case, the well-intentioned invitee or guest will not be afforded protection under your policy because this individual was not asked to intercede on behalf of your organization.

Strategos uses the best practices available for training on the topics of workplace violence, armed intruder/active shooter prevention and response and post-incident response; however, training is no guarantee of the absolute safety and security of those involved should a violent incident occur.