Building a Relationship with Local Police and EMS Before You Need Them
Most churches only talk to police and EMS once — during the actual emergency. By then it's too late to trade phone numbers.
A safety team that has already met the local patrol sergeant, walked the building with a fire inspector, or sent the dispatch center a copy of the floor plan responds faster and with far less confusion when something actually happens. This isn't about having "connections." It's basic prep that any team can do in an afternoon.
Why This Matters More Than It Seems
When officers or paramedics arrive at a church they've never been to, every minute goes to things that should already be known: Where's the entrance? Is there a second building? Who's in charge here? A team that has already answered those questions for local responders cuts that delay out entirely.
It also changes how the call plays out. Responders who recognize your church, know your safety team wears vests or badges, and have a contact name on file treat your 911 call differently than a cold address with no context.
Start With a Simple Introduction
You don't need a formal partnership — a short visit does the job.
- Call the non-emergency line at your local police department and ask if an officer can do a 15-minute walkthrough of your building during a weekday.
- Invite your local fire marshal for the same kind of visit — they'll often flag things (blocked exits, extension cord issues) your team would otherwise miss.
- Ask your area's EMS or fire department whether they have a pre-plan or "pre-incident plan" program, where they keep building info on file before they're ever dispatched to it.
Bring your safety team lead and whoever manages facilities. Keep it low-key — this is a courtesy visit, not a security audit.
What to Actually Hand Them
A short packet goes a long way. Put together:
- A one-page facility map showing entrances, exits, and any areas with vulnerable populations (children's wing, nursery).
- Your main contact's name and cell number — someone who answers during services, not just during office hours.
- Service times and typical attendance, so responders know what they're walking into.
- Any known access issues: locked gates, keypad codes, a back lot that's hard to find on GPS.
If your church uses an app like FaithShield to keep facility maps and emergency contacts current, that same packet can be pulled and shared in minutes instead of being reconstructed from memory during an actual call.
Keep the Relationship Current
Staff turn over on both sides — your safety team lead changes, and so does the officer you met two years ago. A standing reminder to touch base once or twice a year keeps the relationship useful:
- Re-send your contact sheet if your main point of contact changes.
- Let them know about any building changes — a new wing, a relocated nursery, a new main entrance.
- If your church hosts a large seasonal event (a festival, a concert, a holiday service with heavy traffic), a heads-up call a week out lets local agencies plan for it instead of being surprised.
Don't Overthink the First Step
You don't need a formal MOU or a security consultant to start this. A phone call to the non-emergency line this week, asking for a short walkthrough, is enough to get the relationship started. The goal isn't a thick binder — it's making sure that if your team ever has to call 911, the person showing up already has a mental picture of where they're going and who to look for when they arrive.