Church Security Services

A church wants its doors open to everyone, and still needs to know that the people inside are looked after. Crimson Security Service provides licensed armed and unarmed security officers for churches and other places of worship across Middle Tennessee, managed by our locally owned team in Smyrna (TN license #14376). Our officers are there to be welcoming and watchful at the same time.

Every congregation is different. A small church with one Sunday service and a large campus with midweek programs, a school and a daycare don't need the same plan. Common assignments include:

• Sunday and midweek services. An officer at the main entrance, in the lobby or in the parking lot while people arrive and leave.
• Parking lots. Watching vehicles and helping people reach their cars safely after evening services.
• Large events. Easter, Christmas, funerals, weddings, revivals, conferences and community nights, when attendance is well above normal.
• Children's areas. Visible presence near children's wings, nurseries and check-in areas, built around your own check-in procedures.
• Overnight and weekday property checks. Patrols of buildings, grounds and equipment when no one is on site. For multi-site congregations or a busy campus, a vehicle for the post can be added at an hourly fee, depending on your property's needs and your requests.
• Church-related schools. A church school has its own state training rules. See school security.

Both are available, and the choice is a decision for church leadership, not for us. Many churches start with unarmed officers who greet, observe, patrol and call for help. Others, after talking with their pastor, board or insurance carrier, choose armed officers. Armed officers are registered with the state and qualified to carry. If your congregation is also choosing between paid officers and a volunteer safety team, we can talk through the difference.

Tennessee's Attorney General has said that a congregation using unpaid volunteer members as a security team doesn't need a security license for that team. A church that hires its own paid guards may have to register with the state as a proprietary security organization, and a church that hires a contract security company like Crimson doesn't carry that role. The state licenses the company, registers the officers and sets the training. This is general information, not legal advice, so ask your attorney if you're unsure.

1. Walk the property. We look at entrances, parking, children's areas, offices and where people gather.
2. Listen to leadership. We talk with your pastor, administrator or safety team about service times, events, concerns and what you want officers to do and not do.
3. Write post orders. Duties, communication, who the officer calls, what gets reported and how the officer works with your ushers and volunteers are in writing before the first shift.
4. Report. Daily activity and incident reports are delivered online, and patrol rounds are recorded with GPS and QR checkpoints.

Church officers need a different manner from a warehouse gate officer. We select who we post to match the setting. Uniform options for the post can be discussed during the site walk.

Church security is available throughout our service area, from Nashville and Franklin to Murfreesboro, Lebanon, Gallatin, Manchester and Lewisburg.

Can you cover just Sunday services?
Yes. Coverage is built around the hours your church needs, from a single service to full weekly coverage.

Do you provide armed officers for churches?
Yes, armed and unarmed. We'll help you think through the choice, and the decision is yours.

Can officers work with our volunteer safety team?
Yes. Post orders spell out who does what, so officers and volunteers know their roles.

Do you cover special events like funerals and weddings?
Yes. Share the date, place and expected attendance and we'll recommend staffing.

Can you add vehicle patrols for our campus?
Yes. A vehicle for the post can be added at an hourly fee, depending on your property's needs and your requests. Details are set during the site walk.