The Indiana Statehouse was expected to get several safety improvements starting next month. State employees were to wear identification badges, buildings are to be monitored by security cameras and parking lots will be restricted, The Indianapolis Star reported Saturday.
Metal detectors will not be part of the new security mix that was expected to cost $1.3 million to implement.
Federal homeland security grants were providing $1 million, with the rest coming from proceeds from event parking in state garages and lots, officials said.
Metal detectors are common at airports, city halls and federal buildings, but no such barriers exist in the Statehouse. Instead, a 42-member police force is in charge of safeguarding the buildings, and a bomb-sniffing dog also has joined the force.
"There needs to be considerably more," said Indiana State Police Superintendent Melvin Carraway. "It's a tough balance. Everyone wants to be secure, but people don't want to give up their freedoms either."
The Legislature, Supreme Court and state offices are in the Statehouse. State agencies and their employees are in the two government center complexes. Some state-level judges work in the office building at the Hyatt Regency Indianapolis and will be getting added security, too, officials said.
"With the Statehouse, there are policy, architectural and historical issues. It is the people's place," said Indiana Department of Administration Commissioner Chuck Martindale, who heads the project.
The Statehouse has nine exterior doors and four tunnels that need to be better secured, Martindale said. Any wiring, locking equipment and security camera installations require the approval of the Department of Natural Resources' Historic Preservation Review Board, the Star reported.
The first priority was to issue about 10,000 identification cards in January to state employees, who will be required to wear them in the buildings. The badges will give employees access to certain offices, parking lots and computer systems.
A central security office will be able to disable an ID badge if needed.
The second phase of the project focuses on perimeter security. The Statehouse doors will be fitted with magnetic locks that can be operated from a central security office.
Dozens of security cameras will be installed in the Statehouse and government center complexes and monitored 24 hours a day.
