Visitors to City Hall in Annapolis, Maryland, will notice new screening measures aimed at enhancing security there, beginning Friday.
Now, when visitors enter through the main building entrance, located at 160 Duke of Gloucester Street, they will be asked to either pass through a magnetometer or submit to wand screening, according to a city news release.
The city said all visitors, along with their belongings, will be screened.
“It is crucial that we maintain the security of our buildings and operations for the safety of our employees as well as the public,” said City Manager David Jarrell.
He said it is “the last main government building in Maryland’s Capital City” to implement these security measures.
“It is my hope that the public will not be greatly inconvenienced, but will feel safer in our buildings. Most people are familiar with the security screening process at courthouses and state and county government buildings in Annapolis. Our process will be very similar,” Jarrell said.
An Americans with Disabilities Act compliant entrance on the north side of the building will have wand screening available as well.
The move comes following the result of a 2018-2019 security audit that “indicated the need for additional screening of visitors,” according to the city.
Implementation, set to begin in 2020, was delayed when city buildings were closed to the public during the coronavirus pandemic.
