Law Enforcement Officers and Church Safety Teams

Many churches are blessed to have active or retired law enforcement officers in their congregation. It’s natural to ask: “Can we put them on our Safety Team?”

The short answer: yes, but only with care—and with clear boundaries. Here’s why.

The Value They Bring

Active and retired law enforcement officers bring experience in:

• Situational awareness
• De-escalation
• Emergency response
• Familiarity with law enforcement procedures

Their presence can be a tremendous asset when handled correctly.

Risks to Be Aware Of

• Authority Confusion: If officers act in an official capacity while off-duty, your church could unintentionally assume liability for their actions.
• Policy Conflicts: Active officers must follow their department’s policies—even when volunteering at church. This may limit their ability to act under your direction.
• Retired Officers with Firearms: While some retain carry privileges, using that authority as part of a “team” may still be interpreted as providing armed security.
• Paid Law Enforcement Officers: If your church pays an active or retired officer to provide protection, they must be employed and supervised by a licensed Private Patrol Operator (PPO) under California law. Simply putting them on payroll as “security” does not meet SB 1454 requirements.

Best Practices for Churches

If your church includes law enforcement professionals:

1. Acknowledge their expertise—but set boundaries. Make it clear they are volunteers serving under church-defined roles, not as police officers on duty.
2. Keep their role consistent with Safety Team expectations. Observation, de-escalation, medical response, and communication should be their primary functions unless you have licensed security in place.
3. Clarify firearms policies. If an active or retired officer carries a firearm, your church must decide if this is acceptable, and how it aligns with state law and insurance coverage.
4. If paying officers, outsource employment to a PPO. SB 1454 requires employment through a licensed PPO. Services like Shepherd360 allow churches to outsource both the employment and compliance responsibilities, ensuring legal coverage and reducing liability risk.
5. Document and train. Ensure roles are written out and training is consistent for all team members—law enforcement or not.

Walking With You

We love that so many officers want to serve their church families. With clear guidelines, they can be an incredible resource while helping your church stay within legal and insurance boundaries.

If your ministry has active or retired law enforcement in your congregation, let’s talk. We’ll help you set up a framework that honors their gifts, protects your people, and safeguards your church from unintended liability.

Can a Church Employ Security Guards in California? And What If You Want to Keep Volunteers?

California Senate Bill 1454 (SB 1454) changed the game for churches. If your ministry uses safety teams—whether paid or volunteer, armed or unarmed—you now fall under California’s private security laws. That includes registration, licensing, training, and oversight through a Private Patrol Operator (PPO).

Security Type Requirements

Security Type	Guard Card Needed?	Firearms Permit?	PPO Oversight?	Training & Background Check?
Unarmed Guard	Yes	No	Yes	Yes
Armed Guard	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Uniformed Volunteer	Yes	No	No	Yes
Unarmed Volunteer	No	No	No	No

Option 1: Hire Security Guards (But Follow the Rules)

Yes, your church can legally hire security guards, but only if:

• Unarmed guards are registered with BSIS (guard card or PPSO).
• Armed guards also hold a BSIS Exposed Firearms Permit.
• All hired guards operate under PPO oversight (either through an external provider or by your church becoming a PPO).

What It Takes to Become a PPO

Becoming a PPO is possible but involves substantial commitments:

• Designating a Qualified Manager with:
  • At least 6,000 hours of paid experience in security (4,000 field + 2,000 admin/managerial).
  • Successful completion of a two-hour BSIS licensing exam.
• Submitting fingerprints and DOJ/FBI background checks for Qualified Manager and owners.
• Maintaining $1 million in liability insurance.
• Paying licensing fees (approx. $1,320 for the initial application).
• Remaining compliant with reporting, training, and documentation requirements.

This provides full internal control but comes with high administrative overhead.

Option 2: Use Volunteers (Carefully)

You can use volunteers, but they must:

• Avoid uniforms or roles that resemble security unless BSIS-registered.
• Be supervised by a PPO if armed.
• Sign documentation clarifying their volunteer status and waiving compensation.

Courts have affirmed that compliance is based on function, not title (see Woods v. American Film Institute, 2021). If volunteers act in a public-facing security role, they must meet the same licensing and oversight standards as paid guards.

A Third Path: Shepherd 360

Shepherd 360 is a faith-focused PPO solution that allows churches to stay compliant while retaining ministry flexibility. As of today, they are the only PPO we know of in California that:

• Employs both armed and unarmed security guards for churches.
• Offers HALO Certification to integrate volunteers into a compliant structure.
• Provides BSIS-compliant oversight and training, so churches don’t have to become a PPO themselves.

This blended model allows churches to:

• Maintain a volunteer culture
• Reduce liability
• Offload compliance to a trusted PPO
• Ensure all staff and volunteers meet SB 1454 standards

Final Takeaway

Yes, your church can hire guards. Yes, you can use volunteers. But both must be part of a legally compliant structure. To avoid becoming your own PPO, outsourcing to a ministry-aligned provider like Shepherd 360 can provide a safe, scalable, and spiritually aware solution.

👉 Have a safety or security team already in place? Send your current plan to ChurchWest. We’ll help you identify SB 1454 compliance gaps and guide your ministry toward a safer, legally sound structure.