Secteurs d'activité

House of worship security monitoring

House of worship security monitoring, also called place of worship security monitoring, is a 24/7 service in which trained Sirix operators watch live camera feeds covering your entrances, parking areas, and grounds, verify what is actually happening when a camera or sensor detects activity, and respond with live voice intervention or verified emergency dispatch according to your Standard Operating Procedure.

Your doors are meant to be open. Sirix protects the perimeter and the hours when nobody is there, so they can stay that way.

Sirix monitors 25,000+ devices across 230+ cities throughout North America.

The challenge

Why are houses of worship harder to protect than other buildings?

A house of worship is open to strangers by design, staffed largely by volunteers, and empty for most of the week. The same doors that welcome a first-time visitor on Saturday morning stand unwatched on Tuesday at 2 a.m. Most facilities have cameras that record, and nobody watching them when something actually happens.

24%

Religious bias accounted for about 24% of reported hate crimes in the United States in 2024.

FBI, 2024 Hate Crime Statistics

2,783

In 2024, law enforcement reported 2,783 hate crime incidents motivated by religious bias in the United States, and 1,342 in Canada.

FBI, 2024 Hate Crime Statistics; Statistics Canada, Police-reported hate crime in Canada, 2024

3 in 4

Roughly three quarters of hate crime property offenses in the United States are acts of destruction, damage, or vandalism. In Canada, mischief accounted for 59% of hate crimes targeting religion in 2024.

FBI, Hate Crime Statistics; Statistics Canada, Police-reported hate crime in Canada, 2024

Most of what these buildings face is property crime at an empty site: vandalism, break-ins, theft, fires set at exterior doors and dumpsters, and vehicle break-ins in the lot. That is the category remote monitoring is built to stop, because it is the category where a live operator has time to intervene before damage is done.

Where does a faith community's security gap usually sit?

The gap is rarely the sanctuary. It is the parking lot during a service, the side door propped open for a delivery, the donation drop-off after closing, the hall rented to a community group on a weeknight, the school or daycare wing, the grounds, and the outbuilding with no power and no network. These are the places nobody is watching.

Parking areas and lots

Vehicle break-ins while everyone is inside for the service.

Exterior doors and side entrances

The side door propped open for a delivery, and nobody watching it.

Donation and delivery points

Drop-offs after closing sit unattended until morning.

Rented halls and community spaces

Strangers in your building on a weeknight, when your own people are not there.

Attached schools, daycares, and camps

Entrances, corridors, and playgrounds that follow their own schedule.

Grounds, outbuildings, and cemeteries

The edges of the property, often with no power and no network.

Recognize one of these? That is usually where the site assessment starts. Request a site assessment →

Nos solutions

Six layers of protection for a house of worship

After-hours remote video monitoring

Event-based monitoring of your entrances, lot, and grounds when the building is closed. AI flags suspicious activity and sends an instant alarm to the command center, where a human operator reviews it: a false alarm is closed, a real one triggers your response plan, usually starting with a voice intervention.

Surveillance vidéo à distance →

Intervention vocale en direct

An operator speaks through an on-site speaker while the person is still on your property. Most people leave. It ends the incident without a confrontation and without anyone from your community being put in the middle of it.

Interventions vocales →

IA de détection d'armes à feu

Video analytics flag a brandished firearm on a monitored camera and route it to an operator immediately, so authorities are contacted with a verified account of what is on screen rather than a second-hand description.

Gun detection →

IA pour la détection de la fumée et du feu

Video analytics and thermal sensors detect smoke and flame at exterior doors, dumpsters, and storage areas, where fires at these buildings usually start, and alert an operator in seconds.

About 1,300 fires a year are reported at US places of worship, and roughly 15% are intentionally set. U.S. Fire Administration, Arson Awareness Week 2024

Smoke and fire detection →

Vérification vidéo des alarmes

Door contacts, glass break sensors, and motion detectors route to an operator who confirms on live video before authorities are contacted. When an operator can confirm a crime is in progress, the alarm is treated as verified and authorities dispatch much faster.

Vérification vidéo des alarmes →

Remote door and gate access

An operator answers your door or gate intercom, sees who is there, and lets in the delivery or the contractor without anyone driving over. The side door stops getting propped open.

Remote concierge →

Remote gate access →

Also available on the cameras you already have

Comment ça marche ?

How does Sirix monitor a house of worship after hours?

Détection

AI analytics or a sensor flags activity at a camera you have chosen to have monitored.

Verification

A Sirix operator opens the live view and confirms what is actually happening.

Intervention

The operator speaks through the on-site speaker, activates lighting or a siren, or both. In most cases, this is where the incident ends.

Escalade

If the suspect remains on the premises, the operator follows your Standard Operating Procedure: your contact list, your guard service, or emergency services with a verified account of what is on camera.

Record

You receive a time-stamped incident report with an image of what triggered the event, whether or not anyone was dispatched.

The difference is verification.

Between 94% and 99% of police responses to burglar alarms are to false activations, which is why an unverified alarm sits low in the queue and a verified event does not.

Centre de l'ASU pour une police axée sur les problèmes, fausses alarmes de cambriolage

Nobody is watching your site at 2 a.m. Find out what that costs to fix. A free site assessment takes about 15 minutes.

La protection de la vie privée dès la conception

What does Sirix monitor, and what does it never monitor?

Sirix monitoring is built around the perimeter and the empty hours. Cameras cover entrances and exits, exterior doors, parking areas, walkways, grounds, donation and delivery points, and outbuildings. On the schedule you set, AI flags activity on those cameras and sends an instant alarm to the command center, where an operator reviews it: a false alarm is closed, a real event follows your site’s predefined Standard Operating Procedure.

Monitored

Never monitored

If your organization asks for coverage of an interior area such as a lobby, a hallway, a fellowship hall, or a classroom outside program hours, it is added deliberately, documented in your Standard Operating Procedure, and approved by your leadership. Nothing is monitored by default.

You decide the hours, the views, and the escalation steps. We write them into your Standard Operating Procedure and our operators follow them.

Camera placement and notice requirements vary by province and state. Your integrator and your legal counsel confirm what applies to your site.

Funding

Can government funding help pay for security at a place of worship?

In some cases, yes, for the equipment. Canada and the United States both run federal programs that help eligible not-for-profit organizations pay for physical security improvements at their facilities, including video surveillance. Eligibility, funding levels, and application requirements are set by each program and change over time, so confirm current details directly with the program.

États-Unis

Nonprofit Security Grant Program, FEMA →

Canada

Canada Community Security Program, Public Safety Canada →

A free resource: CISA publishes a free security self-assessment tool for houses of worship. Protecting houses of worship →

What funding does not cover

Effect on the community

Nobody at your doors. The intervention happens through a speaker

Evidence

Time-stamped report with an image attached, footage in your portal

Most faith communities do not want a uniformed guard at the entrance on a Sunday morning. Remote monitoring puts the response somewhere else entirely: an operator, off-site, speaking through a speaker at 2 a.m. when there is nobody there to see it. See what it would look like on your site →

If your plan includes one, operators escalate to the guard service you already use, or to a Sirix partner.

Verified escalation to emergency services

When a verified threat calls for it, emergency services are contacted with a live account of what is on camera.

Written incident report

A time-stamped report with the footage, whether or not anyone was dispatched.

Sur un échantillon analysé de 200 incidents d’intrusion vérifiés sur 60 sites clients surveillés entre juillet 2023 et juin 2026, 199 ont été résolus sans intervention de la police, la plupart après un seul avertissement vocal en direct.

Rapports

What do we receive after an incident?

A Sirix incident report as it lands in your inbox.

Sent immediately

Reports are emailed to your designated recipients the moment the operator selects an outcome.

Image evidence attached

Each report includes an image of what triggered the event. Live and recorded footage from your site is always available in your event portal.

A documented record for your board and your insurer

Every incident is stored in your portal, so there is a record when your board or your insurer asks what happened.

Compatible avec votre système

Do we have to buy new cameras?

In most cases, no. Sirix connects to the cameras and systems you already have, across 500+ camera brands, VMS platforms, and security technologies. There is no new hardware to buy, no installer on-site, and no truck roll. If your cameras are online, we can watch them.

Tarification transparente

How much does security monitoring cost for a house of worship?

Based on current North American market estimates, after-hours monitoring of a single outdoor camera lens runs about $100 to $200 per month, covering AI detection, live operator verification at the 24/7 command center, and response according to your plan. Most houses of worship start with the exterior doors and the parking area.

Three things move the number: how many lenses you monitor, after-hours or 24/7 coverage (24/7 roughly doubles the per-lens cost), and the response options you add, such as live voice intervention at roughly $100 to $150 more per month per site. Answer a few questions and get a range for your own site.

Get your estimate in about a minute

Pick the services you want, the number of camera lenses, and your coverage hours, and the calculator returns a price range for your site. It already knows you are a house of worship, so there is nothing else to declare, and no form to fill out first.

Market estimate ranges for budgeting, not a Sirix price list or quote. Calculator estimates are a starting range, not a quote. Final pricing depends on your site, the number of camera lenses, coverage hours, and your response requirements, and is confirmed after a free site assessment. Multi-location organizations, nous contacter.

Depuis 2016

Plus de 10 ans d'expérience dans la protection de sites à travers l'Amérique du Nord

20+ years

of security industry experience leading our operators

Deux centres

un centre de commandement fonctionnant 24/7 doté d'un système de secours entièrement redondant

Agrée

n° de permis. SE 20030247, en totale conformité

Are you a security integrator?

Sirix does not install and does not sell direct against our partners. We provide the 24/7 command center behind the systems you design, install, and maintain, on your client’s existing cameras.

La protection commence par poser les bonnes questions.

Tell us about your site and we will walk it with you. A site assessment is free and takes about 15 minutes.

Nous vous appellerons dans un délai d'un jour ouvré

Un expert en sécurité, et non un argumentaire commercial, pour convenir d'un rendez-vous qui vous convient.

Nous parcourons ensemble votre site

Entrances, sanctuary, offices, parking, and the cameras you already own.

Vous bénéficiez d'un forfait et d'une gamme

Ce qu'il faut surveiller, comment réagir et quel en serait le coût. Sans engagement.

Prefer to talk? Call 1-855-788-1919 or email info@sirixmonitoring.com

FAQ

House of worship security monitoring FAQs

How much does security monitoring cost for a house of worship?

Market estimates for after-hours monitoring of one outdoor camera lens run about $100 to $200 per month, with live operator verification included, and live voice intervention adds roughly $100 to $150 per month per site. A small congregation covering two exterior doors and the lot typically lands in the low hundreds per month. Use the cost estimate calculator on this page for a price range tailored to your own site. Final pricing is confirmed after a free site assessment and coverage is tailored to each site.

Do we have to buy new cameras, or can Sirix use the ones we have?

In most cases, no new cameras are needed. Sirix connects to the cameras and systems you already have, across 500+ camera brands, VMS platforms, and security technologies. There is no new hardware to buy, no installer on site, and no truck roll. If your cameras are online and usefully positioned, we can monitor them.

Do you monitor churches, synagogues, mosques, temples, and gurdwaras?

Yes. Sirix monitors churches, synagogues, mosques, temples, gurdwaras, and other faith-based facilities across the US and Canada. The service works the same way for every faith: operators watch the entrances, parking areas, and grounds you choose, on a schedule built around your services, holy days, and community programs. Worship spaces and prayer halls are never monitored.

Are our worship services or prayer spaces monitored?

No. Sirix monitoring covers the perimeter and the empty hours: entrances, exterior doors, parking areas, walkways, grounds, and delivery points. Worship spaces, prayer halls, confessionals, counseling rooms, classrooms, and washrooms are not monitored. If your organization asks for an interior common area such as a lobby or fellowship hall, it is added deliberately and approved by your leadership.

Is it legal to have security cameras in a church or place of worship?

Generally, yes. A house of worship can use security cameras on its own property, particularly at entrances, exterior doors, parking areas, and grounds, where people do not expect privacy. Cameras do not belong in washrooms, change areas, or counseling rooms, and rules on audio recording and posted notices vary by state and province. Your integrator and your legal counsel confirm what applies to your site. Sirix does not provide legal advice.

What happens if someone is on our property at 2 in the morning?

An operator sees it live. AI detection flags the activity, the operator opens the camera and confirms what is actually happening, then speaks through your on-site speaker while the person is still on the property. If it continues, the operator follows your Standard Operating Procedure and escalates to your contact list or to emergency services.

Can an operator speak to someone on our property?

Yes. Live voice intervention lets an operator speak directly through a speaker on your building or in your lot. Most people leave once they realize someone is watching and talking to them. It ends the incident without a confrontation and without anyone from your congregation being put in the middle of it.

Can government funding help pay for security at a place of worship?

In some cases, yes, for the equipment. Canada and the United States both run federal programs that help eligible not-for-profit organizations pay for physical security improvements at their facilities, including video surveillance. Eligibility and funding levels are set by each program and change over time.

Does grant funding cover the monitoring service itself?

Generally no. These programs are built to pay for equipment and installation. Ongoing monitoring service is an operating cost rather than a grant expense. That is the practical reason the monthly number matters: once funding has carried the hardware, the recurring cost is what your budget carries year after year.

Do we need a security guard as well?

Most sites do not. A guard covers one location at a time and puts a uniformed presence at your doors. Remote monitoring covers every monitored camera at once, from off site, and the intervention happens through a speaker. If you already use a guard service, our operators escalate to them as part of your Standard Operating Procedure.

What about the parking lot during services?

Monitoring is not limited to after hours. Vehicle break-ins during services are among the most common incidents at these sites, so many organizations have their lot watched on the schedule they set, including service times, high attendance days, and evening programs. You choose the hours and the cameras.

Can Sirix detect a firearm on our property?

Gun detection AI flags a brandished firearm on a monitored camera and routes the event to an operator immediately. The operator confirms what is on screen and contacts authorities with a verified account rather than a second-hand description. Detection depends on camera placement, lighting, and sight lines, which are reviewed during your site assessment.

Do you monitor for fire as well as intrusion?

Yes. Smoke and fire detection AI uses video analytics and thermal sensors to detect smoke and flame at exterior doors, dumpsters, and storage areas, where fires at these buildings usually start. The event reaches an operator in seconds, which matters most overnight, when there is nobody in the building to notice.

Can someone on our team press a button and reach an operator?

Yes. A button press from a desk unit or a wearable device routes to our command center, where a human answers 24/7 and follows your site’s escalation procedure. This is commonly used by staff or volunteers working alone in the evening, and during programs, rentals, and community events.

Lone worker alarm response →Emergency intercom monitoring →

We have a school, daycare, or camp on site. Is that covered?

Yes. Attached schools, daycares, and camps are covered the same way as the rest of your site, with coverage of entrances, corridors, playgrounds, and parking areas. Vape and air quality sensors are also available for washrooms and other spaces where cameras do not belong.

Vape detection →

Does monitored video affect our insurance?

Many commercial insurers ask whether a property has monitored security when they underwrite it, and documented incident reports help when a claim is filed. Whether monitored video affects your premium depends on your carrier and your policy. Ask your broker directly. Sirix does not provide insurance advice and cannot estimate a premium change.

Can Sirix monitor during a service or a high attendance day?

Yes. Continuous monitoring assigns operators to actively watch live feeds for a defined period rather than waiting for an event, which suits high attendance days, holiday services, and large gatherings. It is arranged for the hours you choose and quoted separately from after-hours monitoring.

Surveillance en continu →

We are a small congregation with a small budget. Where do we start?

Start with the two exterior doors people actually use and the parking area. Two outdoor lenses with live voice intervention after hours typically lands in the low hundreds per month at market rates. Fire detection and additional cameras can be added later. We would rather build a small system that works than sell you coverage you do not need.

We do not have a security integrator. Can you recommend one?

Yes. Sirix does not install, so cameras and cabling are handled by a local security integrator. We can introduce you to a partner in your area, and you can also search our partner locator directly. If you already work with an integrator you trust, we work with them instead.

Find a partner →

Ready to protect your community?

We will walk your site with you, look at what your cameras actually see, and tell you what is worth monitoring. No obligation.

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