“A church is a special place, by its architecture, its destination and the atmosphere that reigns there, but it is above all a place that receives the public permanently, Dominique recalls. All those who intervene are therefore security guards in spite of themselves! » A year ago, this former policeman was recruited by the diocese of Lyon to perform an unprecedented function: security manager. Since then, he has coordinated the protection of buildings and trains the priests, sextons, and all the volunteers who carry out a mission there in the management of non-voluntary risks such as fires, but also and above all in malicious acts, intrusions, theft or assault, including the threat of terrorism.
Learn to react effectively
In 2021, 18 anti-Christian acts were recorded in the Rhône, and around ten have been recorded since the start of 2022. An underestimated figure, according to the report of the parliamentary mission on anti-religious acts returned in March 2022, which is confirmed by the professional who sees all the files passing through his desk. In the field, for example, he observes an increase in acts of vandalism such as offensive tags after the delivery of the Ciase report.
“In the Church, security is a subject that we know is essential, but which, it seems, is still difficult to talk about or grasp. » Initially centered on the question of buildings, in particular the cathedral – improvement of video surveillance, installation of markers, bars, etc. – its mission was thus quickly extended to the training of people.
When he arrives, he discovers “that some lay people have been tending a church for fifteen years without knowing where the fire alarm is” Where “that an essential emergency exit is blocked simply because the key has been forgotten in an old drawer”. The training, which lasts two hours, first makes it possible to prevent the danger, by learning about the means available and by adopting a list of reflexes: checking the proper functioning of the various systems or identifying and reporting abnormal behavior. “It also means teaching them to react effectively, in an accessible language and without generating anxiety, insists the former policeman. Keeping a safe distance from an aggressive individual, preparing an emergency call list, knowing how to guide people to emergency exits or secure hiding places. »
Encourage speaking up and reporting
“It is urgent to take this first step”, he explains. In February 2021, a sexton was threatened with death in a church in Lyon, and in July, a woman was sexually assaulted in a church in Villefranche-sur-Saône. Another aspect of the mission is to encourage speech: “In reality, few of the people concerned take the step of reporting and even fewer of filing a complaint. »
In one year, training has been provided to almost all the teams responsible for the major buildings in Lyon intramural – more sensitive because they host gatherings, events, processions – but the diocese now wishes to spread it gradually to all of its parishes.