After firearm displayed at county admin building, CEO announces emergency‑preparedness committee and plan

Imperial County officials said an individual entered the County Administrative Building at about 11:00 a.m. on Aug. 19 and displayed a firearm at the front desk. County staff notified the El Centro Police Department, which detained the person outside the building; the firearm was secured, the individual’s vehicle was impounded and there were no injuries, the county CEO reported.

In response, the CEO said the county will create and convene a security and emergency-preparedness committee that will include safety, risk and leadership staff. The committee will draft an Imperial County Emergency Preparedness and Response Plan, model national standards to local needs, and recommend policies, law-enforcement coordination, staff training and potential security infrastructure improvements.

Labor and union representatives raised separate concerns about workplace safety and staffing. Ruth Duarte, business agent for Local 542, told the board she had received reports that behavioral-health offices were operating without on-site security officers and that rank-and-file employees were filling security roles such as opening and closing offices. Duarte said members reported encountering bystanders with weapons and that assigning security duties to non‑security staff is “not scope of their job duties.” She said she has a meeting scheduled with county management to discuss the issue.

County staff said they would investigate security staffing needs across county facilities and that the new committee will address coordination with law enforcement and employee training. No board action was recorded on the matter during the meeting; the report came as a departmental announcement from the CEO.

The CEO invited questions; none were taken during the announcement. The board later returned from closed session and reported no reportable action on several legal matters.