Shepherd's Shield Safety Foundation

Church Security Certification & Accreditation Strategy

Board Discussion Document | May 14, 2026 | CONFIDENTIAL

Presented By

Montague Hall, President

Meeting

Board Meeting 2 — May 14, 2026

Type

Strategic Discussion

Status

For Board Input

📌 Purpose of This Discussion

💡

The Opportunity Before Us STRATEGIC OPPORTUNITY

SSSF has the credentials and mission to do more than train church security officers — we have the team to become the recognized national standard-setter for church security training. This discussion covers three interconnected goals:

Launching SSSF’s own certified Church Security Officer courses (unarmed and armed)
Building the framework to accredit other organizations’ curricula against our standard
Positioning SSSF as the national authority in church security training accreditation

🎯 Key Insight: There is currently no dominant national accrediting body for church security officer training. SSSF is positioned to fill that gap. Our board’s combined credentials — federal law enforcement, military, NRA, FLETC — exceed those of most existing church security organizations.

🏅 Why Our Team Is Qualified to Accredit

Board Credentials — Our Competitive Advantage

The credibility of any accrediting body rests on the qualifications of its review board. Ours is exceptional:

Board Member	Key Credentials Relevant to Accreditation
Montague Hall President	30+ years law enforcement & military; NRA Law Enforcement Firearms Instructor (Handgun, Shotgun, Rifle, Tactical); FLETC; Illinois State Police; Florida DOJ; 8+ weeks church security consulting
Bruce Miller Vice President	Air Force OSI (federal law enforcement); FLETC training access; pastoral background; $1.4M mass gathering security grant experience
Kevin Bray Treasurer	Security consulting; facility hardening; electronics & surveillance systems; vendor vetting expertise
Wendell Russell Board Member	32 years law enforcement; major crimes & OIS investigations; executive protection; Florida church liaison
Hunter Clary Secretary	Associate pastor; 2+ years developing church security policies; practitioner perspective

📊 Three Levels of What We Are Building

Certification vs. Accreditation vs. Standards Body

Level	What It Means	SSSF Application
Certification	We certify individuals who complete our courses	"John is a SSSF Certified Church Security Officer"
Program Accreditation	We review and approve other organizations’ curricula	"ABC Security School is SSSF-accredited"
Standards Body	We publish the official standard the industry follows	The SSSF Church Security Officer Training Standard

        📖 The Foundation Document: Everything begins with publishing the “SSSF Church Security Officer Training Standard” — a formal written document defining minimum topics, hours, instructor qualifications, testing requirements, and renewal requirements. Every curriculum we review is measured against it.
      

🎓 Proposed SSSF Certification Programs

Unarmed Church Security Officer Certification 8 HOURS

Designation: SSSF Certified Unarmed Church Security Officer (CUCSO)
Format: One full day or two 4-hour sessions — in-person or online
Core Modules:

Module 1: Foundation & Philosophy — de-escalation first, protector mindset, spiritual basis of the role
Module 2: Threat Recognition & Situational Awareness — baseline behavior, pre-attack indicators, persons of concern vs. persons in crisis
Module 3: De-Escalation Techniques — verbal skills, body language, conflict stages, role-play scenarios (1.5 hrs)
Module 4: Access Control & Crowd Management — greeter vs. guardian balance, entry points, children’s ministry
Module 5: Emergency Response — active threat, lockdown, fire, medical, natural disaster, first responder coordination
Module 6: Communication & Team Operations — radio protocols, chain of command, pre-service briefings
Module 7: Documentation & Reporting — incident reports, evidence preservation, confidentiality
Module 8: Practical Scenarios & Assessment — tabletop exercises, written exam, certification

Armed Church Security Officer Certification 16 ADD’L HOURS | 24 HRS TOTAL

Designation: SSSF Certified Armed Church Security Officer (CACSO)
Prerequisite: CUCSO (unarmed) certification — OR complete all 24 hours as standalone
Additional Modules (beyond unarmed):

Module 9: Legal Framework for Deadly Force — use of force continuum, when deadly force is justified, civil vs. criminal liability (general, not state-specific)
Module 10: Firearms Safety & Fundamentals — universal safety rules, safe carry, concealment, malfunction clearance
Module 11: Marksmanship Fundamentals — stance, grip, sight picture, shooting under stress, adrenaline management
Module 12: Tactical Considerations in a Worship Environment — shooting in crowds, cover vs. concealment, friendly fire awareness
Module 13: Weapon Retention & Close-Quarters — holster security, retention techniques, tight space considerations
Module 14: Scenario-Based Force Decisions — shoot/no-shoot drills, armed individual in sanctuary, parking lot incidents
Module 15: Range Qualification — live fire course, malfunction drills, minimum passing score (4 hours)
Module 16: Post-Incident Response & Final Assessment — scene security, what to say to law enforcement, trauma response, final exam

SSSF Certified Church Security Instructor (CCSI) INSTRUCTOR LEVEL

Before we can accredit other programs, we certify who teaches them.

Requires: law enforcement or military background OR completion of SSSF instructor development course
Background check required
Demonstrated teaching competency evaluation
Prerequisite for teaching any SSSF-accredited curriculum
Renewal every 2–3 years with continuing education requirement

This certification becomes the gateway — other organizations cannot call their program “SSSF-accredited” unless taught by a CCSI-certified instructor.

📋 5-Phase Path to Becoming an Accrediting Body

Phase 1 Publish the SSSF Training Standard MONTHS 1–6

Write and publish the formal “SSSF Church Security Officer Training Standard” document
Defines minimum topics, contact hours, instructor qualifications, assessment criteria, and renewal requirements
Establish the SSSF Curriculum Review Committee from our existing board
Create the accreditation application, review criteria, conflict of interest policy, and appeal process

📎 This document is the cornerstone. Everything else — certifications, accreditation of others, state recognition — flows from it.

Phase 2 Launch SSSF’s Own Certified Programs MONTHS 3–9

Run CUCSO and CACSO courses first — establishes SSSF as a practitioner, not just a standards body
Graduate first cohorts from pilot churches (Cross Water & Wendell’s church)
Real-world data from first graduates refines the standard before opening to others
Certified graduates become walking proof of concept and brand ambassadors

Phase 3 Seek Government Recognition MONTHS 6–18

Florida DBPR: Submit curricula for approval as pre-licensing hours toward Class D (unarmed) and Class G (armed) security licenses — completion could count toward a Florida guard card
Illinois IDFPR: Same process — Montague already has the existing relationships here
CISA / DHS Alignment: Align curriculum with DHS Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) framework — churches completing SSSF-accredited training could reference it in federal grant applications
As we expand: submit to additional state licensing boards (target 5–10 states for national credibility)

⭐ Game changer: If completing our course counts toward a state guard card, enrollment motivation increases dramatically. Students get two certifications from one course.

Phase 4 Open Accreditation to Other Organizations MONTH 12+

Once our standard is published, our own programs are running, and we have at least one state recognition — open the accreditation process to other training organizations.

Organizations submit application, curriculum, instructor credentials, and fee to SSSF
SSSF Curriculum Review Committee reviews against the published standard
Decision: Full Accreditation / Conditional / Denied with written feedback
Accredited programs listed publicly on the SSSF website with expiration date
Annual renewal review required

💰 Revenue Opportunity:
• Initial accreditation application fee: $750 – $1,500
• Annual renewal fee: $400 – $600
• Instructor (CCSI) certification fee: $300 – $500 per instructor
• 10 accredited programs + 30 instructors = $15,000–$25,000/year in accreditation revenue alone

Phase 5 Seek National Body Recognition MONTHS 18–36

IACET (International Association for Continuing Education & Training) — become an Authorized Provider; programs we accredit can carry IACET CEU recognition nationwide
ASIS International — align our standard with their Private Security Officer guidelines; market courses as “aligned with ASIS International standards”
NOCSSM (National Organization of Church Security & Safety Management) — pursue formal recognition within the church security community
NRA Endorsement (Armed Course) — leverage Montague’s existing NRA Law Enforcement credentials for curriculum endorsement

📅 Proposed Timeline at a Glance

Milestone Roadmap

Timeline	Milestone	Owner
Month 1–2	Draft and publish SSSF Church Security Officer Training Standard	Montague Hall
Month 2–3	Develop CCSI (Instructor Certification) requirements and application	Board
Month 3–4	Deliver first CUCSO pilot course — Cross Water & Wendell’s church	Montague Hall
Month 4–6	Deliver first CACSO (armed) pilot course	Montague Hall
Month 6	Launch accreditation application process; publish on SSSF website	Board
Month 6–12	Submit curricula to FL DBPR and IL IDFPR for state licensing credit approval	Montague Hall
Month 12–18	Apply to IACET as Authorized Provider	Montague Hall
Month 18–36	National recognition — ASIS alignment, NOCSSM, NRA endorsement	Board

💬 Board Discussion Questions

Questions for the Board DISCUSSION

Does the board support pursuing SSSF as a national accrediting body for church security training, or should we focus only on running our own certified courses for now?
Should the unarmed course (CUCSO) be offered online to reach churches nationally, or in-person only to maintain quality control?
What is the board’s appetite for the instructor certification (CCSI) program as an early revenue source?
Are there existing relationships any board member has with state licensing boards, ASIS, NOCSSM, or IACET that could accelerate recognition?
Should we develop the SSSF Training Standard document as our first deliverable — and assign it to be ready before the next board meeting?

🗳️ Suggested Board Action: Authorize Montague Hall to begin drafting the SSSF Church Security Officer Training Standard for board review at Meeting 3. — Motion / Second / Vote

Shepherd's Shield Safety Foundation
"Protecting the Flock. Preserving Life. Glorifying God."
This document is confidential — for board members only.