A Church and School Security Assessment and Education Ministry
We made our prayer unto our God, and set a watch against them. Nehemiah 4:9
About Us
Setting a Watch
Setting a Watch Ministries began in mid-2016 after God burdened the hearts of Matt Beach and his wife Cassie for the safety and security of churches nationwide. While serving as the Training Coordinator for the security team at Harvest Baptist Church in Rock Hill, SC, Matt watched the national trend of violence on church property climb steadily. Research shows many of the incidents could have been prevented if effective safety measures had been in place. After Matt realized that many of the security measures he was already teaching at Harvest could benefit other churches across the country, God opened the door to begin Setting a Watch Ministries. Today the ministry serves churches across denominational lines as we help you protect God’s sheep from wolves and roaring lions.
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Setting a Watch also offers the same training and evaluation services to private and public schools across the country. The principles Setting a Watch teaches apply just as well to school campuses, and the Crime Prevention and Response for Schools workshop it tailored specifically for schools.
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The primary principles used by presenters and assessors are those taught through the Crime Prevention Through Environment and Design (CPTED) program. Presenters and assessors are certified CPTED practitioners.
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Setting a Watch Ministries does not provide legal advice. All legal questions should be referred to a licensed local attorney and the church's insurance company.
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Matt Beach
Matt, the founder and primary presenter of Setting a Watch Ministries, has served as a police officer since 2010. He currently serves as a Violent Crimes Investigator for a mid-sized South Carolina police department. Matt holds several instructor certifications and is qualified as a Field Training Officer and Crisis Negotiator. Upon completing all requirements of the CPTED Training program in October 2016, Matt received the CPTED Professional Designation from the National Institute of Crime Prevention.
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Since 2012, Matt has volunteered with Harvest Baptist Church in Rock Hill, SC, as the Training Coordinator for the church security team. He routinely conducts in-house training and coordinates with outside training organizations to keep the church security team up to date.
