The Jaffrey Bible Church received nearly $40,000 in grants for new security measures as part of an increase in anti-terrorism funding flowing into the state from federal sources.
The state received about $7.8 million in grant funding from the State Homeland Security Grant and Emergency Management Performance Grant Programs. Nonprofits, including churches and other houses of worship, were also specifically granted $635,085 under the Nonprofit Security Grant Program, up from the $150,000 in funds that were available to nonprofits last year.
The funds could be used for any number of security measures, from hiring guards to enhancements of security cameras, screening equipment, risk assessment and developing emergency protocols, active shooter trainings, and public awareness campaigns.
The focus on increasing nonprofit funding was deliberate, said Laura Epstein, a representative of Senator Maggie Hassan’s office.
“Senator Hassan worked to increase grant funding available to non-profits and houses of worship in order to strengthen their security following conversation that she had with New Hampshire faith leaders where they discussed a rise in threats that they have received. FBI data also shows that hate crimes in churches, synagogues, temples, and mosques increased nearly 35 percent between 2014 and 2018,” Epstein said.
Among the most notable incidents of violence in churches was the 2015 shooting of nine people at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina by Dylann Roof, and the 2017 shooting by Devin Kelley at the First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs in Texas, which killed 26 people and wounded 20 others.
Pastor Fouad Faris said it’s an unfortunate sign of the times that churches have to think about these issues, but it’s also an unavoidable reality.
The Jaffrey Bible Church has hosted workshops from private sector defense and security companies for both their own parishioners as well as parishioners of other local churches.
“It’s a conversation you have to have, because we’re in a culture where human life isn’t that valued, and you see a lot of violence taking place in light of that,” Faris said.
Faris said the church was initially interested in some additional workshops and how to fund them when he learned of the available grants, and the opportunity to permanently increase security measures such as interior and exterior security lighting and installing security cameras.
“Because of the actions we’ve seen in the workplace, in schools, and in houses of worship, the state is being much more proactive about the potential that it could happen. We’re just trying to stay one step ahead of that as best we can,” Faris said.
Ashley Saari can be reached at 924-7172 ext. 244 or asaari@ledgertranscript.com. She’s on Twitter @AshleySaariMLT.