Cultural institutions01 / 02
Carnegie Hall
Custom heavy-duty hinges for an oversized freight door, cleared by landmark review. See the Carnegie Hall project.
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- House of Worship Security
Church and House of Worship Security in NYC
- Welcoming during services
- Discreet cameras
- Staff alerts
Doors that stay welcoming during services and secure the rest of the week.
- 1,000+
installations over 10+ years
- 24/7
support for managed-service clients
- Excellent
Rated 4.9/5 by 110+ NYC corporations
- 7 Active Teams
Operating throughout New York
Highline Integrated Security designs, installs and maintains church security systems in NYC, and the same discreet systems for every faith.
The Security Challenge for Houses of Worship
House of worship security balances an open welcome with real protection, usually run by a small staff and volunteers.
Open doors, by design
Services, weddings and holy days bring in people no one has met.
Untracked keys
Years of keys handed to volunteers mean nobody knows who can get in.
Historic sanctuaries
Stone, plaster and stained glass limit where cable and devices can go.
Volunteers run it
The system must be simple enough for a volunteer to manage.
House of Worship Security Systems We Deliver
Our house of worship security systems put doors, cameras and alerts on one platform, managed from one app.
| System | What it does for a congregation |
|---|---|
| Access control | Doors unlock on the service schedule and lock after it. Volunteer credentials are added or removed in minutes. |
| Cameras | NDAA-compliant Axis and Genetec cameras on exacqVision, viewable from a phone by designated staff. |
| Intrusion and panic alerts | Monitored intrusion detection that alerts emergency services or security personnel, or local alarms with phone alerts. Panic buttons and silent alarms for clergy, ushers and office staff. |
| Intercom | Video intercom at the office or school door, so staff see who is there before releasing the lock. |
See Our Completed Work in Historic Buildings
We deliver the hardware, wiring and software as one system, so when a side door will not lock before Friday prayers, one team owns the fix.
Education02 / 02
Lexington School for the Deaf
Electrified retrofit hardware and NDAA-compliant, on-premises access control in an existing Queens building. Read the Lexington case study.
“The wiring was clean, the camera placement was well thought out, and they made sure to explain the alarm setup properly before leaving. Really appreciated the attention they gave to a smaller project like ours.”
We bring the discretion of our work for New York's landmark institutions, and every system is backed by a 12-month warranty.
Planning an upgrade?
We will walk the building with your team.
Church Security Camera Systems in NYC
A church security camera system in NYC should cover where incidents happen, without turning the sanctuary into a surveillance space.
| Area | Camera type | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Entrances and lobbies | Dome | Discreet, captures faces at the door |
| Exterior and parking lot | Bullet, infrared and low-light | Long range at night |
| Large sanctuaries and lots | PTZ | Follows activity across a wide space |
| Offices and counting rooms | Dome | Covers where the offering is counted |
Where cameras never go
Restrooms, changing areas and counseling rooms. New York law prohibits recording in restrooms and changing rooms, and people expect privacy in pastoral care.
NDAA-checked equipment
Cameras and recorders are checked against NDAA Section 889, which federally funded projects require.
Designing Around Services, Children and Historic Buildings
House of worship security design starts with how the building is used each week.
Services, lockdown and alerts
Schedules, not keys
Main doors unlock for services and lock automatically after.
Lockdown on demand
Authorized staff lock exterior doors at once from a phone or fixed button.
Silent alarms for ushers
An usher can call for help without alerting anyone in the room.
Children's ministry and nursery areas
The children's wing or nursery runs on its own access list, so only approved volunteers and staff can open it. Cameras cover the corridors and entrances to children's rooms.
Landmarks, egress and accessibility
Wireless where cable cannot go
Salto's SVN and BLUEnet battery locks bring historic doors online without wiring through stone. Designated landmarks may need Landmarks Preservation Commission review.
Free exit, always
Electrified locks on egress doors release on fire alarm activation and loss of power where required. We coordinate with your fire alarm contractor and do not install fire alarm systems. Readers and intercoms sit at accessible heights.
Cloud or on-premise management
Cloud management suits congregations with no IT staff: no server on site, and access managed from a phone. On-premise suits larger campuses with their own IT support.
How a Project Runs
Projects are planned around services and holy days.
- 01
Walkthrough
On-site or virtual, with clergy, staff or the security committee.
- 02
Design and scope
Doors, cameras and alerts mapped to how the building is used, with a clear price.
- 03
Installation
Scheduled between services, and phased on larger projects.
- 04
Training
Volunteers shown how to manage users, schedules and alerts.
- 05
Support
Managed service and maintenance, with 24/7 support for existing clients and a 4-hour response on critical failures.
FAQs
Church and Synagogue Security FAQs
Short answers on what to include, cost, camera privacy, other faiths and grant funding.
What should church security systems in NYC include?
Church security systems in NYC should include scheduled access control, cameras on entrances and parking, intrusion detection and a panic button or silent alarm. On one platform, volunteers can run it from one app.
How much does a church security system cost?
A church security system costs according to the number of doors, camera coverage, alarm monitoring and how much cabling a historic building allows. We give a clear price after a site assessment, and larger systems can be phased.
Is it legal to have security cameras in a church?
Yes, security cameras in a church's entrances, lots and public areas are common and lawful. New York law prohibits recording in restrooms and changing rooms, and we keep cameras out of counseling rooms; confirm specific questions with counsel.
Do you provide synagogue and mosque security in NYC?
Yes, we provide synagogue and mosque security in NYC with the same systems we use for churches. Each design follows the congregation's calendar, from daily and Friday prayers to Shabbat and holy days.
Can a security grant pay for our system?
A security grant can pay for physical security at eligible houses of worship in New York. FEMA's Nonprofit Security Grant Program (administered by NYS DHSES) and the state's Securing Communities Against Hate Crimes program (NYS DCJS) both fund it, and rules change each year. We phase systems to match budgets or funding rounds; confirm eligibility and deadlines with the administering agency.
Plan Access Control for Your House of Worship
Tell us how your doors are used. We'll design a system volunteers and staff can run.