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Council hears staff concerns about City Hall security; police recommend bullet-resistant measures
Summary
Council members and employees discussed security upgrades for police clerks and City Hall lobby staff. Chief Jordan described a $9,449.25 bid for bullet-resistant glass and a metal door; staff asked the council to plan broader protective workstations that respect the building's historic status.
Council members and city employees discussed physical security for the Hamilton Police Department clerks and City Hall lobby during the meeting, and the police chief described a bid to add bullet-resistant windows and a metal door to the police lobby.
Chief Jordan explained that a contractor, Brock Palmer of 2 Town LLC, submitted a bid of $9,449.25 to install bullet-resistant glass and a metal door between the public lobby and two police clerks. Jordan said the change would bring the police lobby in line with other city offices that already have similar protections and recommended moving forward with the project as an early security step.
Multiple City Hall employees spoke up about unsecured public-facing workstations on the building’s main floor. One clerk said there is no metal-detection or security screening for lobby staff and asked the council to consider additional protections. Council members noted the building is on the historic register and said maintaining original features will complicate a straightforward retrofit. The council discussed relocating or redesigning workstations to allow security features without compromising the building’s historic elements.
At the meeting a council member moved to approve police-area protections and asked staff to study options for protecting other public-facing staff. The transcript records discussion that design and reconfiguration will be required to secure upstairs work areas and that the council will pursue a plan to provide security for those employees as well. The meeting record does not include a fully detailed specification for the entire building retrofit or an explicit line-item appropriation beyond the contractor bid discussed for the police lobby.
Council members requested staff return with design options that both secure public-facing staff and preserve historic features, and to prioritize immediate protection for police clerks while developing plans for the rest of City Hall.
