Security to tighten at Huntington Beach City Hall

Kenneth Ma

HUNTINGTON BEACH -- New security devices will be installed at City

Hall following several years of discussion over the safety of elected

officials, particularly in the wake of a 1998 shooting rampage at city

offices in Riverside.

City leaders here agreed to have small metal enclosures installed near

their seats to offer protection from gunfire. Also, a glass wall in the

council’s caucus room will be replaced with a regular wall, and

identification cards will be created for city employees and council

members to enter City Hall, said Rich Barnard, a spokesman for the city.

The $50,000 worth of upgrades will be installed within the next two

months, he said.

The upgrades will be paid from this year’s budget.

Following the examples of other cities in Southern California, “it is

wise for [Huntington Beach] to take a look at the layout of our

security,” Barnard said.

In addition, city officials are also considering installing

surveillance cameras in the City Council chambers and electronic locks

that use identification cards for next year, he said. The lectern for

public comment inside the council chambers was recently enlarged to allow

the police officer on duty during meetings more response time, Barnard

said.

Barnard said the city began to consider heightening security at City

Hall after a disgruntled ex-city employee shot six people in 1998 at

Riverside City Hall, including the mayor and two council members, in a

conference room before a city government meeting.

“After the Riverside incident, we wanted to make sure we have a safe

environment,” Councilwoman Shirley Dettloff said. “I have never felt that

my job was dangerous, and to this day, I still think it is very safe.”

Dettloff said people who have disagreements with public officials can

confront them anywhere, not just at City Council meetings. Dettloff said

Surf City is a safe community, and she does not expect violence against

public officials to happen here.

Janet Perez, a spokeswoman for the Huntington Beach Police Department,

said an overwhelming majority of council meetings do not require more

than one police officer to be in attendance.

But extra officers have attended meetings in the past because of

emotionally charged issues on the council’s agenda, said Perez, who is

also the sergeant-at-arms at council meetings.

Perez said she has never arrested anyone during council meetings. She

is not certain if people have been arrested at council meetings in the

past, she said.