New security plan in place today at City Hall

Starting today, City Hall will be a lot less porous, thanks to the installation of a new security system.

But officials hope the new measures will not subtract from the building's open-door policy and charm.

Managing Director Loree D. Jones and Public Property Commissioner Joan Schlotterbeck announced the "next phase" of City Hall's security plan yesterday at a news conference in the building's northeast stairwell.

"City Hall, as everyone knows, is a public building, and we have about 1,400 people that work here every day, and about 2,500 visitors coming in every day," Jones said.

"So what we had to do was design a security strategy that would allow us to maintain the openness of the building, while making sure the tenants and visitors to the building are safe . . . and we've been able to do that with a number of measures."

Those measures include the installation of several new surveillance cameras that will surveil the interior and exterior of the building, and a new check-in procedure requiring visitors to first sign in and receive a badge. The visitor's photo will be taken.

Guards and officers also will have the use of mobile metal detectors, and general access to the building will be restricted.

"Part of the building will remain as open as it already is right now. People will be able to, during normal business hours, enter through the [first-floor] portals," Jones said. "What will change is access to the outside entrances and exits to City Hall."

Schlotterbeck said the $6.5 million project was funded through the city's capital budget, and includes the hiring of four additional guards.

"City Hall presents a unique challenge," Schlotterbeck said, referring to the compromise that was reached by officials when discussing how secure to make the building.

"It's a courthouse, the seat of our legislative body; we gave ourselves flexibility and can increase [the measures] if need be," Schlotterbeck said.

Weekend and off-hour visitors will be able to enter through the northeast corner only, Jones said.

City Hall's security has been increased gradually over the years, and the latest scheme isn't due to a particular threat, Jones said.

"Since 9/11, the city has worked with a variety of agencies to plan for an increase of security to the building," said Jones.