MANSFIELD, Ohio — In an effort to maintain a secure environment, public access to the Mansfield Municipal Building may be limited to the Park Avenue entrance.
Mansfield City Council heard from a concerned Dan Mapes, who said he represents at least 40 people who work in the municipal building, during council’s meeting Tuesday.
Mapes said he has concerns about building security, or “lack of.”
“The only floor that’s secure in this building is the second floor, he said.
“Anybody’s free to come off the streets and go to any place in this building and do whatever they want to up to and including the mayor’s office.”
He described a recent instance in which he got on the elevator on the first floor with a bag in his hand. A police officer passed by and didn’t ask any questions, he said.
“That’s ridiculous,” he said.
He said he’s talked to many different people about the issue, including the law director, safety-service director, finance director and the police chief.
“I think it’s time that we take this seriously,” he said. “I think it’s time that we do something about it before we’re forced into doing something about it.”
Assistant Police Chief Keith Porch took to the floor and said, “In regard to the issue at hand, we met with the safety-service director and proposed a plan basically to model it after the county building across the street.
“We want to filter foot traffic in through Park Avenue, then have folks go through the scanners. And then as far as the other entrances in the building, we would have swipe cards for the employees.”
The Park Avenue entrance leads into the second floor of the building. There are currently scanners in place at that entrance, along with security officers.
Porch said there are still some logistical questions that need answered, particularly those relating to the cost of additional personnel to help manage security at the Park Avenue entrance .
“If that would not happen, I know we would have to do security measures to every floor, along with putting additional scanners up on the third floor,” he said. “I can tell you that those costs would be very high to do that.”
