The Oklahoma Church Security Association (OCSA) will commence its yearly training cycle in February, 2025. The training is free. It will be held in the Metro Tulsa area and suburbs. Dates and places of the individual classes will be announced to leaders and students after enrollment in the program.

The OCSA is an unincorporated association of retired law enforcement, military, first responder and criminal justice professionals who donate their time to the security ministry.

The OCSA program is designed for smaller churches that cannot afford professional security. The program is geared toward churches with 500 or less Sunday attendance with a small volunteer hospitality/security team.

Full program enrollment is limited to fifty people per year. The OCSA will not accept enrollment from any individual or group whose pastor or other senior church decision maker has not attended a briefing which outlines the content of the program and the requirements for participation and then approved of their participation.

The program is divided into two units. All hospitality/security volunteers should participate in Unit One. Unit One classes include training in: basic church security principles, greeter-usher skills, situational awareness, verbal de-escalation, CPR/AED and advanced first aid. There are advance reading assignments for each unit of instruction.

Students who qualify and pass a background investigation may be invited to participate in Unit Two. Unit Two consists of more advanced safety skills. All Unit Two students must have completed Unit One because they are expected to integrate advanced situational awareness and de-escalation techniques with the training that follows. Unit Two students must demonstrate basic handgun safety and marksmanship skills before they will be admitted.

The program takes ten months to complete. Classes are scheduled either one Saturday or one Tuesday night per month. Unit Two classes may require two sessions per month for two months.

Information about the OCSA, its program and instructors can be found at https://okchurchsecurity.blogspot.com/ .

Pastors or other church leaders desiring more information or wishing to enroll their church in the program can email OCSA Director Bill Kumpe at [email protected] or telephone 918-381-9792.