At one of our National Church Safety Summits in Washington State, a person in the audience raised a simple but important question: “Can we legally call ourselves a Security Team?” The room grew quiet, not because people lacked opinions, but because few had actually researched the answer.
That moment highlighted a common issue in churches across the country. Many ministries invest significant time recruiting volunteers, writing policies, purchasing equipment, scheduling training, and preparing for emergencies. Yet many have not stopped to ask whether the way their safety or security ministry is structured complies with the laws of their state.
The answer may surprise some churches. There is no single national standard that governs church safety or security teams. Laws vary from state to state, especially when it comes to volunteer security, paid security personnel, licensing requirements, uniforms, firearms, and liability. If a church has never researched these issues, now is the time to begin.
The discussion at our summit centered on Washington law because that was where we were training. Like many states, Washington regulates private security through state law. The state’s licensing requirements are found in RCW 18.170, which governs private security guards and private security companies (Washington State Legislature).
One of the biggest takeaways from that conversation was the importance of understanding the distinction between volunteer ministry and professional security services. Generally speaking, an unpaid church volunteer serving as part of a safety ministry is not the same thing as a licensed private security guard employed by a security company.
That distinction matters, but it does not mean churches can simply ignore the legal issues surrounding their safety ministry.
Many churches assume that because their team members are volunteers, there are no legal considerations. That assumption can create unnecessary risk. Washington law may not regulate volunteer church safety teams in the same manner as licensed private security companies, but churches still need to carefully consider how their ministry operates.
Church leaders should be asking practical governance questions. How are team members identified? Are uniforms appropriate? Are members carrying firearms under applicable state law? Has church leadership formally authorized those responsibilities? Have policies been reviewed by legal counsel? Does the church’s insurance carrier approve of the ministry’s structure?
These are not just security questions. They are governance questions, and they deserve careful attention before a church launches or expands a safety ministry.
One of the most interesting parts of the discussion involved terminology. Many churches choose to call their ministry a Safety Team rather than a Security Team. That decision is not necessarily because Washington law requires it. In many cases, churches believe the title better reflects the purpose of the ministry while helping distinguish volunteer ministries from licensed private security services.
Other churches continue to use the title “Security Team.” The point is not that one title is automatically right or wrong. The point is that churches should understand how their state’s laws apply before making those decisions. Simply copying another church’s terminology because it sounds professional may not be the best approach.
Another important distinction involves compensation. Once money enters the equation, the legal landscape often changes. Washington’s private security statutes become much more relevant when individuals are employed or contracted to provide security services. Churches considering paid security personnel should carefully review applicable licensing requirements and determine whether additional legal obligations apply under state law (Washington State Legislature).
The difference between an unpaid volunteer ministry and paid security personnel may appear small on paper. Legally, it can be significant.
Even if a church complies with state law, there is another question every leadership team should ask: What does the church’s insurance carrier require?
Insurance providers frequently have expectations regarding training, documentation, policies, and use of force. Brotherhood Mutual, one of the nation’s largest church insurers, maintains an extensive library of church risk management resources and encourages ministries to carefully evaluate safety and security practices before implementing them. The organization emphasizes that risk management should be an intentional part of ministry planning, not an afterthought (Brotherhood Mutual).
GuideOne Insurance also advises churches to carefully evaluate the liability associated with internal security teams. Their guidance notes that when volunteers serve as agents of the church, the church may bear responsibility for their actions during an incident (GuideOne).
That means compliance involves more than simply following state law. It also involves understanding insurance coverage and ensuring church policies align with the expectations of the carrier.
Church safety conversations often focus on firearms training, medical response, de-escalation, and emergency planning. Those topics are critically important, but legal compliance deserves a seat at the table as well.
The FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin has emphasized that the type of security a church chooses “highly depends on its location, size, and/or budget,” noting that security models vary by state and that certification requirements differ across the country (Stephens).
In other words, there is no universal model. What works in one state may require additional licensing or different procedures in another. That is why churches should resist the temptation to copy another ministry’s program without first understanding their own legal environment.
If a church has a safety or security ministry, leadership should take time to evaluate several important questions. Has the church researched its state’s laws regarding volunteer and paid security? Does the church understand whether licensing requirements apply? Have policies been discussed with the insurance carrier? Has an attorney familiar with the state’s laws reviewed the procedures? Are written policies current? Are team members properly trained for the responsibilities they have been assigned?
If the answer to any of those questions is, “I’m not sure,” then there is work to do.
That question from Washington has stayed with me. Not because it had a complicated answer, but because it showed how easy it is for churches to make assumptions.
Churches naturally share ideas with one another. One church starts a safety ministry. Another adopts similar uniforms. Another copies policies. Another models its structure after a conference they attended. There is nothing wrong with learning from others, but every church should pause long enough to ask one important question: Does this comply with the laws where we serve?
Protecting a congregation involves much more than preparing for violence. It also means protecting the church through sound governance, thoughtful policies, proper documentation, adequate insurance, and compliance with applicable laws.
Training saves lives. Preparation reduces risk. Doing the homework before launching or expanding a church safety ministry may be one of the most important steps a leadership team ever takes.
Brotherhood Mutual. Safety Library. Brotherhood Mutual Insurance Company, https://www.brotherhoodmutual.com/safety-library. Accessed 29 June 2026.
GuideOne Insurance. Is Armed Security Right for Your Church? GuideOne Insurance, https://www.guideone.com/sites/default/files/safety-resource/download/Armed%20Security%20QA%20Brochure.pdf. Accessed 29 June 2026.
Stephens, Royce. “Police Practice: Helping Churches Feel Safe.” FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin, 9 Nov. 2022, https://leb.fbi.gov/articles/additional-articles/police-practice-helping-churches-feel-safe-.
Washington State Legislature. Revised Code of Washington Chapter 18.170: Private Security Guards. https://app.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=18.170. Accessed 29 June 2026.
