Most nonprofit orgnizations haven't addressed physical security.
The Challenge
Nonprofit organizations, even those that don't take controversial religious or political positions, are just as likely as any other institution to face physical security threats.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, 400 to over 500 fatal injuries due to intentional injury by other people in the workplace have occurred every year for the past fifteen years. Thousands more violent workplace incidents occur annually that don’t result in fatalities, but may cause irreparable harm to those involved. While industry tracking isn’t as finely tuned as it could be to specify the exact number of these incidents that occur in nonprofit organizations, we know that many do.
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Threats to houses of worship are sadly too familiar to require detailed illustrations here; however, people working in other charities, such as those focused on education, advocacy, service, support, or mutual aid, are not invulnerable, as exemplified in the following.
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Children’s charity Youth Options suffered an arson attack on its woodland Little Owls preschool, leaving considerable damage. “The devastating incident has left children, families, and the staff team heartbroken as they face the loss,” said the charity.
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​At the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) headquarters in Washington, DC. A man entered the building and stabbed a security guard during an altercation. The guard survived, and the incident prompted a review of security protocols at the organization.
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External threats know no ideological bounds and can impact conservatives just as often as liberals. Floyd Lee Corkins II, a resident of nearby Herndon, Virginia, entered the lobby of the conservative Family Research Council (FRC) headquarters with a 9mm pistol and two magazines with 50 rounds of ammunition. Corkins shot an unarmed security guard, 46-year-old Leonardo Johnson, in the left arm. Although injured, Johnson assisted others who wrestled Corkins to the ground until police arrived and placed him under arrest. FRC subsequently increased its physical security protections.
Of course, charities and other nonprofits are not immune to the threat of workplace violence. And while some organizations have taken measures to address such threats, such as the Anti-Defamation League, Planned Parenthood, the Thurgood Marshall Center, and the Islamic Center of Southern California, they are exceptions to the rule. Some groups, like these, that are hyper-aware of external threats, are more likely to take physical security measures. However, all nonprofits may be the target of both external violence and insider threats from staff and volunteers who may be disgruntled with the organization or have a vendetta against a specific employee.