Shul Security Teams
Dedicated volunteers assigned to shuls, trained to identify and respond to suspicious behavior or threats during services and events.
Crown Heights Office of Security and Emergency Network
Community Security
Starts With You
A volunteer-powered network safeguarding our shuls.
Endorsed by Vaad Hakohol of Crown Heights
With local established Crown Heights community patrols
39Volunteers to date
10Shuls covered
2Ways to serve: unarmed & armed
5Partner organizations
Why C.H.O.S.E.N.
Closing the gap inside the shul
Crown Heights already has strong protection on the streets. What was missing was protection inside the shul itself. C.H.O.S.E.N. fills that gap.
On the street
The NYPD, established community patrols, and Hatzalah
The established organizations patrol the neighborhood, answer the calls, and arrive when something happens. They are the reason our streets are covered.
Inside the shul
C.H.O.S.E.N.
Trained volunteers who are already in the building — at the door, in the minyan, at the kiddush — who know the faces, notice what is off, and connect the shul to the responders outside within seconds.
Join the Network
Two ways to serve
Whether you can give an hour on Shabbos morning or want to train as a licensed armed guard, there is a place for you in C.H.O.S.E.N.
Unarmed
Shul Security Volunteer
Stand with your shul as a trained, unarmed volunteer. Training in partnership with CSS (Community Security Service).
Sign up as a volunteer → ArmedNYS Licensed Armed Guard
Become a New York State licensed armed guard for 770 and other Crown Heights shuls, in partnership with Six-13 Guard.
Learn about the armed program →Key Features
Built by the community, for the community
C.H.O.S.E.N. is the Crown Heights, Brooklyn community-led initiative for shul safety and security. We are here to augment the current infrastructure, and our volunteers are here to help keep the shuls and streets safe and prepared.
Real-Time Communication
An integrated alert system connects volunteers with each other and with law enforcement for rapid response in emergencies.
Professional Training
Regular workshops in situational awareness, de-escalation, emergency response, and threat recognition, tailored for the frum community.
Collaborative with Law Enforcement
Built on partnerships with the NYPD and local community patrols, C.H.O.S.E.N. strengthens trust and ensures coordinated safety efforts.
Emergency Readiness
Volunteers are trained to respond effectively in medical, fire, or evacuation scenarios — ensuring calm, coordinated action.
Volunteer-Led, Community-Focused
C.H.O.S.E.N. is powered by the very community it protects — a network built on achdus, responsibility, and shared purpose.
Our Approach
Empowered Community Response
Trained volunteers ready to act — ensuring faster, more informed responses to emergencies within our own shuls and communities.
- Volunteers stationed where they daven, so they know the faces and the building
- One alert reaches the team, local community patrols, and the NYPD together
- Ongoing training keeps every response calm, measured, and coordinated
New from C.H.O.S.E.N. Coming soon
The Shul System
A local base station installed in your shul that connects you directly to the NYPD, local community patrols, Hatzalah, and a camera — two-way and Shabbos-safe, developed specifically for shuls.
Explore the Shul System- NYPDLaw enforcementDirect line to the precinct
- CHCommunity PatrolsLocal established Crown Heights patrols
- HHatzalahEmergency medical
- ◉CameraEyes on the entrance
Volunteer
Why join C.H.O.S.E.N.
- 01
Protect Am Yisrael
Be part of a mission bigger than yourself — safeguarding Jewish life and dignity in your own neighborhood. Every presence makes a difference.
- 02
Show Up for Your Shul
Serve where it matters most — your shul, your minyan, your block. Your quiet vigilance is a source of comfort to those around you.
- 03
Gain Real-World Skills
Learn safety, communication, and situational awareness — tools that strengthen your presence at home, at work, and in everyday life.
- 04
Flexible, Respectful Commitment
No weekly drills or long shifts — just showing up when it counts, in a way that fits your lifestyle and boundaries.
Community Events
Building the network, year by year
From our first Zoom with local volunteers and CSS to security booths in front of 770, C.H.O.S.E.N. has grown to 39 volunteers across 10 shuls.
- 2024
Kickoff Zoom
Local volunteers meet with CSS to lay the groundwork for shul security in Crown Heights.
- 2025
Booths in front of 770
Security booths stood up at 770, bochur patrols begin, and volunteers complete CSS training.
- 2026
Pre-Pesach community event
A community-wide gathering ahead of Pesach brings volunteers, shul leadership, and partners together.
See something? Say something.
If it looks off, it probably is.
An unfamiliar person lingering at the door. A bag left behind. A car circling the block. You do not need to be certain. Tell someone, and let the people whose job it is decide.
- Immediate dangerCall 911
- Something suspicious right nowShmira 718-221-0303Shomrim 718-774-3333
- Medical emergencyHatzalah 718-230-1000
- After the fact, or a concernReport it online →
Security can't wait.
Neither should you.
Sign up now and help protect your community when it matters most.