BY KARE 11 JOHN CROMAN
St. PAUL, Minn. -- The Minnesota Capitol complex is overdue for significant security upgrades, according to a report issued Wednesday by the Legislative Auditor.
James Nobles told lawmakers the time has come for weapons screening at key access points to the Capitol and surrounding state office buildings. He also advised beefing up the security staff to match the expanding work load.
"We realize that the physical configuration of this building and the State Office Building in particular create enormous challenges making these buildings more secure," Nobles told a legislative panel, "So it will be controversial. It potentially may be costly. There will be added incovenience."
His report also recommends that a legislative committee be established to wade into the delicate issue of whether to install metal detectors or other screening devices in the Capitol complex, even as he suggested putting such devices at targeted locations and tightening access to parking areas in the meantime.
"Minnesota's lack of screening devices has partly reflected a desire by state officials to maintain the Capitol as `the people's building,' with relatively few restrictions on people there to visit, work, or observe," the report said. "However, it is difficult to justify the current level of openness, particularly for certain functions." Minnesota is one of only five states that doesn't screen for weapons at its Supreme Court.
Legislators reviewing the report at a hearing revealed some of their own security concerns. "If the bell went off right now and something was happening in the chamber, what do we do?" said Rep. Rick Hansen, DFL-South St. Paul.
Sen. Ann Rest said she has gone over potential scenarios with her staff. "We have our own little security understanding, if there is something going on, we have decided we take down the drapes and we go out over the balcony to get out of the building," said Rest, DFL-New Hope.
The Capitol hasn't had any major incidents in recent years, even though the complex is located in an area with higher crime rates and hosts large demonstrations and events throughout the year. The buildings are home to offices for the governor, lieutenant governor, Legislature, Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, attorney general, secretary of state, state auditor and headquarters of at least eight state agencies.
Public Safety Commissioner Michael Campion said his agency has tried to ensure safety at the Capitol "within the confines of available resources," but more resources would be needed to implement all of the recommendations. He also pointed out that there haven't been serious incidents in recent years. "We've perhaps been lucky to some extent up to this point in time," he said. The audit paints a picture of an inadequately trained staff of mostly security guards responsible for security at the Capitol. The number of Capitol Security officers dropped from 49 in 1999 to 39 last year, although their ranks are fortified by retired law enforcement officers during the legislative session.
During that time, access to buildings has been tightened through the use of keycards. But three major new state buildings have opened. Capitol Security is now monitoring 46,000 cameras, intercoms, alarms, entrances and other points, up from 20,000 in 2000. The unit, a division of the Public Safety Department, is headed by State Patrol Lt. Mary Schrader and employs two other sworn officers, one of them during the legislative session only. "That's fewer than some high schools," Rest said.
Most of the rest are security guards who don't carry weapons or have full authority to make arrests. Their training hasn't covered verbal confrontations since 2003 or bomb threats in depth since 2000.
The report also found outdated written policies on responding to emergencies. Minnesota's minimal protection from sworn law enforcement matches up with the approach in Alaska, Idaho, Nebraska, North Dakota and Montana, more sparsely populated states.
On the other end of the spectrum, the Texas Capitol is guarded by 142 sworn officers and more than 100 non-sworn officers. Wisconsin has 40 full-time sworn officers and 20 part-time. Iowa has 20 to 30 sworn officers. South Dakota has 10.
"A stronger law enforcement presence in the Capitol complex is overdue," the report said. Another issue: About half the cost of Capitol Security is paid by contracts with state agencies, an approach that the audit said led to uneven security. The report recommended that the Legislature directly appropriate the money to pay for Capitol Security.
Nobles advised the lawmakers to establish a legislative committee on Capitol complex security, including representatives of all three branches of state government to discuss risks in confidential meetings. The report also recommends including money for security measures in next year's construction projects bill.
The report also recommends giving State Patrol protection, now available to the governor and governor-elect, to other key state officials if their security is at risk. The audit did not cover the governor's security or the Legislature's sergeant-at-arms offices. Beefing up Capitol security won't be easy, Nobles told lawmakers at the hearing. "It will be controversial. It potentially could be costly."
There will be added inconvenience," he said. Joel Alter, who conducted the audit, said the last major incident happened in 1972, when unknown attackers detonated 40 sticks of dynamite in the basement of the State Office Building, injuring some and causing significant property damage. "It can happen," he said. "We are very fortunate that it has not happened more recently."
No comments:
Post a Comment