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Goldsboro council directs staff to study metal detectors and other security measures at City Hall entrance
Summary
After months of discussion about building security, council asked staff to evaluate costs and options — including metal detectors, wanding, third-party security and access consolidation — and return with a proposal; the motion passed 7-0.
The Goldsboro City Council on Sept. 8, 2025, directed staff to prepare a proposal and cost estimate for enhanced security at the main public entrance to City Hall, including the possibility of a metal detector and other measures. The motion, amended to allow consideration of additional security options beyond metal detectors, passed 7-0.
Council and staff framed the discussion as a buildingwide concern, noting staff interact with the public daily while the full council meets fewer times per month. The police chief and staff described security measures already taken (parking-lot cameras, reserved-parking signage, occasional officer presence in chambers and the anteroom) and explained operational constraints for screening measures.
Staff outlined practical considerations: a walk-through metal detector requires staff or officers to manage admissions and investigate any alarms (the transcript cited a prior walk-through unit cost of about $4,600 in earlier years and a wand cost of roughly $152), and a screened entry often needs at least two officers per entry point to avoid bottlenecks. Staff also provided a callback-pay example: assigning an officer to a dedicated City Hall detail could cost an estimated $71,000 per year in callback pay.
Council discussed alternatives including a clear-bag policy for visitors, consolidation of public access to a single controlled entrance, hiring private security vendors for meetings or having city safety staff perform a facility security assessment. Several council members emphasized that any policy should account for employees who regularly bring bags and for equitable treatment of visitors, staff and council members.
The council motion directs the city manager to return with options, estimated costs and recommended implementation steps for the main entrance and for buildingwide staff safety measures. Staff will include operational impacts, staffing implications and cost estimates.
