Think About it – Form a Coalition

Think About It Think About it – Form a Coalition
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Carl Chinn

Feb 21, 2026

Real threats lurk in every community. The more we know about them, and proactively plan for (or even interrupt) them, the safer our people will be.

But how do we learn about them?

The first step towards effective and actionable threat information sharing is to know your neighboring faith-based organizations and your local law enforcement. Knowing them is more than just knowing who they are, having one conversation with them, and keeping their contact information; it’s about meeting with them intentionally and consistently.

Form a group of faith-based security operators to begin regular meetings. Start with just 2 of you at the coffee café at your church or at a public coffee shop ot café. You will both know others in this space. Commit to bringing a friend next month as you intentionally visit again. Then there will be 4. Make the same commitment again. Then there will be 8.

That is how a coalition is born.

Along the way, someone in your coalition will know a law enforcement officer concerned about (or even assigned to) the local faith community. Bring them into your circle. Keep adding each month, then develop an agenda for each meeting. Discuss known area concerns or current news affecting your faith-based community.

As your coalition grows, someone will know a trainer willing to give an hour of their services to train a collaborative group. For such a training, allow others from the churches in your coalition to attend. Not every trainee needs to be a coalition member, but they can benefit from training organized by that coalition.

Then you’ll begin to fall into a rhythm of meetings that include sharing information, training, best practices, and resources.

Think About it

Big-box store loss-prevention managers do this among themselves. Sam’s and other warehouse stores; Walgreens and other pharmacies; Kroger and other grocers. If they can do this without their competitiveness getting in the way, so can area faith-based organizations.

Most of life’s successes began with meeting someone regularly and intentionally.

A coalition is simply that. Don’t make it complicated – just start meeting. You’ll figure it out as you go (if you are going).

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