Churches across the nation, and in Alaska, are training volunteers to protect their congregations from potential threats, including active shooters.
Point Blank Firearms in Wasilla and Insight Training in Anchorage are among numerous companies around the nation that now offer ongoing courses specifically designed to help faith-communities address active shooter response, increase situational awareness, learn de-escalation techniques, establish lockdown procedures, enact “run/hide/fight” protocols, and integrate policies with local law enforcement.
“We believe preparation saves lives,” a recent post from Point Blank Firearms notes. “Our training is built on real-world law enforcement experience and designed to help churches create safe, confident, and well-prepared security teams.”
Over the past decade, thousands of U.S. churches have implemented enhanced security training. Driven by high-profile incidents, rising reports of violence and hostility at faith-based sites, this trend represents a shift toward proactive preparation rather than relying solely on law enforcement.
Notorious shootings at churches in Texas and South Carolina, which resulted in dozens killed, have highlighted vulnerabilities in places traditionally seen as safe sanctuaries. From 2000 to 2024, the Violence Prevention Project has tracked 379 homicide events at houses of worship that resulted in 487 deaths. Additionally, Family Research Council has documented 1,384 hostile incidents against U.S. churches from 2018–2024, with peaks in 2023 (485 incidents) and 2024 (415). This includes arson, bomb threats, vandalism and shootings.
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While Alaska has no documented instances of a church shooting attack, local places of worship in Anchorage and Eagle River have been targeted with threatening messages and repeated acts of vandalism. In 2024, these incidents prompted the Alaska Legislature to pass a bill that Gov. Mike Dunleavy signed into law, which makes vandalism of religious sites a felony crime.
On the national level, the FBI has offered security recommendations for houses of worship, including the establishment of well-defined protocols and professional training.
Most Alaska-based groups that offer training sessions include on-site instruction for churches and reality-based classes that let security teams train in the actual environment they protect each week.
In 2024, King’s Alaska Church in Wasilla hosted a multi-day event in which Phalanx Academy presented a security conference for faith communities.
Training groups typically offer specialized scenario planning that is tailored to specific churches. This includes protection of the sanctuary, classrooms, daycare areas, hallways and entry points to help teams identify security gaps, improve coordination and build confidence in responding to real threats.
