Wolfeboro police review lobby window setup after public raises privacy and accessibility concerns
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Summary
The police chief and board discussed the new Public Safety Building lobby window; the chief cited CJIS confidentiality concerns as the reason the window is one‑way and said staff will explore design changes that preserve privacy while improving public visibility.
Town officials and the police chief discussed the design of the Public Safety Building lobby window on June 12 after a Select Board member and residents said the one‑way appearance makes public engagement difficult.
A board member said the current window makes it difficult for members of the public to see and speak with dispatch staff. The chief explained the layout was chosen to protect sensitive law‑enforcement information and avoid CJIS (Criminal Justice Information Services) privacy and security violations. He said dispatch monitors often display personally identifiable information during incident handling and that unrestricted public sightlines could expose data such as names, dates of birth and addresses.
"It's a CJIS violation in the very least," the chief said, explaining why the department was cautious about one‑way glass or film. At the same time, the chief said the current appearance is not ideal and called it "creepy"; he said staff are reviewing options such as a smaller viewing aperture or an applique that would allow a limited sightline so the public can see the person behind the glass without exposing computer screens.
Town staff said they are assessing technical fixes and training for communications staff so lobby visitors can engage more easily. No structural or capital decisions were made at the meeting; staff said they will present design options and operational solutions for board consideration.