Texas is one of several states that have passed laws to waive state requirements on armed security detail training, licensing and background checks. One state is taking on a stronger approach to protecting their congregations through the use of armed security volunteers. In parts of the United States, lawmakers have voted in favor of increasing armament to harden soft target locations, while other regions have proposed universally stricter gun legislation. One of the most widely debated topics in American politics to date surrounds gun regulation. Is there an effective response that doesn’t pertain to gun or weapons? To answer this question, we must first recognize role of politics and society in risk management. Here are proven strategies that can be applied by the whole community to enhance security at soft target locations. To be successful in this initiative, there must be a never-ending commitment from law enforcement, community officials, employers, event coordinators, and public citizens alike. No one person can be solely responsible for hardening soft target locations. The event left cities and smaller communities struggling to understand how best to protect public spaces. In November, a man drove a truck onto a public path in New York City, killing eleven people and injuring a dozen others. The horrific mass shooting in Las Vegas, NV took place during a largely attended music festival, and community events are becoming increasingly vulnerable. The Texas Church incident was not the first shooting to take place in a soft target location and it won’t be the last. it’s a huge shock and they might freeze.” “People may go to a house of worship and have a mindset that it’s not going to happen here,” former law enforcement officer Marianne Alvarez told the Huffington Post. Sadly, in the case of Sutherland Springs, TX, several families with adults and children were in attendance for the Sunday morning service when a lone gunman stormed through the door with a semi-automatic rifle, claiming the lives of 24 people and injuring 26 others. They open the possibility of welcoming the wrong people, and the risk of violence is particularly high in places where modern conflict is apparent, such as churches, synagogues, and mosques. Soft target locations are mostly at risk for their welcoming environments. The standard airport security process in the United States includes full-body scanners and/or metal detectors and a thorough search of all traveler belongings through computer tomography (CT) scanners. The airport becomes a hard target location to travelers only once they’ve made it past the point of security. In most airports, the check-in and baggage claim areas are widely accessible to the public making them both more susceptible to violent activity. On the other hand, an example of a soft target that transitions into a hard target is the airport. Each location allows public access to anyone who wishes to enter. To understand the threats posed to soft targets, it’s important to identify what makes them susceptible to intimidation and acts of violence and terrorism.Įxamples of soft target locations include libraries, malls, movie theaters, and houses of worship, as well as public venues and events. A soft target is a location or place that is vulnerable due to its lack of security or protection, though is often populated by groups of people.