Balancing safety with security while maintaining public access to government buildings poses a unique challenge for post-9/11 law enforcement. Expectations of the general public and media are that government buildings, which may present a higher-profile for potential attack, should remain accessible to the masses while at the same time be insulated from threats. This challenge, as many agencies have experienced is constantly evolving due to operational, political, and economic reasons. While success in security is a destination reached with a safe conclusion each day, it also means each new day brings new potential threats. In law enforcement we realize this is a challenging balance to achieve. We also know that with tightening budgets and increased responsibilities we must be extremely comprehensive and thorough in our approach to providing an appropriate level of safety and security with public access to government buildings.
Earlier this year, the Ohio State Highway Patrol took another evolutionary step by changing how we provide security and safety services while also reducing by at least $700,000 per year resources expended on this effort. While we are spending less, our security and response services have significantly increased. For obvious reasons, each specific security change can not be outlined, those efforts which provide the framework for success are highlighted within this article.
For the Ohio State Highway Patrol, our legislated security presence in state-owned or -leased properties took on a new significance and level of commitment after 9/11. Since shortly after the attacks, state troopers have maintained a highly-visible presence in the Ohio Statehouse, Vern Riffe Government Center and the Rhodes State Office Tower, as well as the Ohio Judicial Center, which houses the Ohio Supreme Court. The four buildings, referred to as "the campus" by our Capitol Operations Unit, represent the heart of Ohio government.
While some agencies have offices in other locations in Columbus, these four buildings are, for all intents and purposes, the home of Ohio government. As such, they are often the site of protests, rallies and demonstrations by persons dealing with a wide variety of issues. With these events often comes intense media coverage which, at times, has reached across the world.
The responsibility for providing security at these four buildings, which are home to approximately 6,500 employees every work day, rests on the shoulders of our Capitol Operations Unit. Their combined efforts are even more daunting when one takes into account that more than 30,000 people work in the contiguous downtown area to these four buildings on any given work day.
Personnel assigned to any high-profile government building detail should foremost understand they are a very important and vital part of the agency's commitment to ensuring the safety and security of persons working in these locations as well as the public who come to interact with their elected and appointed government officials.
Challenges and adjustments based on the different types of buildings
Not only do the building structures themselves present separate challenges, but the type of security that is warranted in each particular building is different. Security measures are adjusted based on individual facilities. These adjustments include the complement of security personnel assigned and the particular work of state government performed in each building. Because of the differences in providing security at different buildings, officers must be flexible enough to adjust their operations.
Prior to 9/11, the contingent of troopers at the Ohio Statehouse was less than what the Highway Patrol has in place today. Troopers are more visible today, and use more roving patrols as opposed to stationary patrols. Officers are strategically placed around the Statehouse in such a manner that depending on where employees or visitors are at any given time these officers may be noticed more or less by civilians. At the Ohio Statehouse, some doors are monitored by security cameras and state troopers are assigned to entrances in part based on where cameras are placed.
We believe that by combining the stationary and roving patrols, a greater security and deterrent effect is created because it is not always evident where the troopers are within the complex. Deterrent is more art than science, however using both roving and stationary patrols provide a greater ability for officers to respond within the entire campus area in the event of an incident.
- An example of duties required of Capitol Operations officers include
- Visible patrol of the building, yard and parking garage
- Unlocking and locking doors throughout the facility
- Responding to calls for assistance from tenants of the building
- Responding to suspicious persons or disturbances
- Providing security for money transfers from the parking garage to the Treasurer's office
- Providing a visible presence during hearings and meetings at the request of the Governor, the House and Senate
- Investigating criminal cases and traffic crashes on Statehouse property
- Providing security and a visible presence during special events, rallies and protests at the Statehouse
- The ability to be flexible and respond to quickly moving and changing events in a professional and safe manner, and
- Assisting the Highway Patrol/ Executive Protection Unit as needed.
"The Statehouse is the peoples' house."
Ohio Governor Ted Strickland's motto, as shared with the Capitol Square Review and Advisory Board, is, "The Statehouse is the peoples' house." That said, he wants the people to visit the Capitol and he enjoys the interaction with the public. In terms of security, that philosophy does make it more challenging because of the requirement to make the building as accessible to the public as possible.
Patrol commanders are required to find the balance between safety and security while making sure the visitors, particularly the constituents of the office holders feel welcome. Although this represents a significant challenge, it is a challenge that we accept, knowing full-well it is difficult to balance the two without making the facility into a fortress. It may not necessarily be the type of security where everyone is required to pass through a magnetometer and there is very limited access. However, it is security that Patrol commanders have seen as successful.
Crime reports in the Statehouse campus area are historically lower than adjacent areas. We believe this is because the officers are highly-visible and we have a positive working relationship with the building management and their personnel. Public accessibility to the building does create a challenge but we feel the type of security we do along with some other measures that are in place balance out safety and security while still allowing the Statehouse to be open and accessible.
As you can see, roles and responsibilities change for troopers assigned to the Ohio Statehouse where the Patrol is the sole agency tasked with providing security. By comparison, at the Ohio Judicial Center, which houses the Ohio Supreme Court, Supreme Court Law Library, Ohio Judicial Disciplinary Counsel, Judicial Educational Board and the Ohio Court of Claims, there is only a single entrance and exit point, combined with other security features to make that building more of a "hardened" facility compared with the others in the area. At the Ohio Judicial Center, there are also magnetometers in place that are operated by court security officers. Security personnel have an added advantage because everyone is screened at the single entrance point, at which a state trooper is also stationed in a support role.
The Riffe and Rhodes towers, which are traditional high-rise office buildings, are operated by the Ohio Building Authority. These are staffed by a privately contracted uniformed and unarmed security agency that provides static security presence at specified locations. State troopers operate more in terms of roving patrols in those two buildings and support the contracted security officers in the context of their security functions.
The primary focus at these two state office towers is for officers to rove to all security positions frequently during each shift for high visibility. These are high-visibility positions and are observed by various people who work in the buildings or are visiting for business or personal reasons. As such, officers need to be mindful of their personal operations while on these posts. This goes directly to the idea of not only being right, but looking right.
Parking garages also pose a significant security challenge. The Ohio Statehouse, for example, has a three-level parking garage, and there are multi-level parking garages associated with the other buildings patrolled by state troopers. Officers continuously monitor the garages either on foot or in a patrol car looking for any type of suspicious activity.
Stationary v. Roving patrols
In terms of where and when to assign officers to either stationary or roving patrols, attention should be focused on where visitors and workers are likely to congregate. Security commanders should look at the main entrances to visitors and tenants of the buildings and aim to ensure all entrances are safe and secure. The deployment of officers at any entrance point should be to address a specific security reason.
Regarding the use of roving patrols, commanders again need to examine those common areas that are open and accessible to the public and concentrate on those areas. For the Ohio State Highway Patrol, two purposes are served by strategically selecting an area for roving patrols: First, as a deterrent for those who come to the Statehouse campus area with criminal intentions; and second, officers are often geographically in better position to assist individuals who need attention. The roving patrols allow for more efficient response to problems. Strategically, officers are situated so they are nearer to areas where people are going to be because essentially the primary mission is to protect those individuals.
Special event security planning
Government buildings, by the very nature of the business conducted in those facilities, can be locations for high-profile special events. There are a multitude of factors commanders need to consider when planning security for special events to decide the type of security contingency that will be required.
In partnership with the Capital Square Review and Advisory Board, Ohio State Highway Patrol commanders will meet in advance and discuss specific additional security measures that may be needed for a special event. As an outcome of those discussions, commanders go into planning to determine how many officers will be needed and any additional support that may be required to execute security for that event. Decisions are based on criteria including the number of people expected to attend the event and what exactly the event is, including analysis of its organizers and key issues or topics.
Commanders also look at who the event is likely to attract, including any parties who may be in opposition or protest to the event organizers.
It is undeniable that even the best officers will have ideas and opinions about specific issues or special interests. It is critical, however, that uniformed and plainclothes personnel working in the context of special event security keep those opinions to themselves. It is a fundamental responsibility of security personnel to safeguard the rights of all individuals, regardless of their personal beliefs and positions on issues.
Important function of dispatchers
In every instance, success as a law enforcement agency hinges on the professional operations of the dispatchers. State building security is no different, where the dispatch area is essentially the hub for the entire operation. They have a multi-faceted job which varies significantly from a dispatcher who works at a traditional field post. To say dispatchers need the ability to multi-task is an understatement, because of the volume of calls and job-related responsibilities they have on a daily basis.
The dispatchers at the Ohio State Highway Patrol's Capitol Operations Unit are highly-trained to handle emergency situations and typical calls. In addition, they also monitor nearly 100 security cameras that cover the downtown Columbus area immediately adjacent to the Statehouse campus area. They also monitor over 250 panic alarms for the Ohio Statehouse, as well as numerous building alarms.
Being an ambassador for the agency
Any new officer assigned to a state building security function, such as the Patrol's Capitol Operations Unit, should go through an orientation phase. Part of that includes explaining to the new officer about the differences in working at Capitol Operations as opposed to anywhere else in the organization.
Troopers assigned at Capitol Operations serve two functions: First and foremost is security for the buildings and the tenants and visitors to the buildings; and secondly, which is just as important, the officers are ambassadors not only to carry out the mission of the Patrol, but to do so while maintaining a relationship with the general public, tenants, and high-profile people who work in and visit the buildings.
Ohio Governor Ted Strickland has a working office in the Statehouse, at which a trooper is posted outside. On a daily basis, anyone from a U.S. congressman to the Speaker of the House to local dignitaries can come in contact with our officers. The officers know how important it is to be seen by these high-profile governmental people as professionals. They understand how important it is that they do the right things and they provide security to the people in the buildings, and they look professional while carrying out those functions. The officers all take that into consideration and take a lot of pride because they know that the governmental agencies and high-profile people who work in the buildings count on them and respect the job they are doing.
While providing a visible presence and deterrent, each assigned officer is an Ambassador for the Ohio State Highway Patrol. Many of the people each officer comes in contact with on a daily basis have little or no contact with the troopers who work the road. How they see each officer perform his or her duties can directly impact how they perceive the entire organization. Each of our officers is told, "The door you hold, the person you say good morning to or the one you provide directions to, may very well be the same person who will decide legislative matters key to the organization's goals and mission."
In that same light, another unique aspect about the dispatchers who work at the Capitol Operations communications center is those dispatchers are as much ambassadors for our agency as are the troopers.
Critical incident response and training
Government building security also includes planning for response to critical incidents and emergencies. There is no one "catch-all" emergency response plan. The specific response to an incident should be based on the nature and scope the incident, once it occurs. Following a critical incident, the Ohio State Highway Patrol Capitol Operations Unit commanders would first meet with building management. They would determine, based on the type of incident or emergency, what steps or plan of action that would be initiated to minimize any injury and continue to provide security and safety to the building occupants and visitors. Emergency procedures are in place for a variety of possible incidents.
In partnership with the Ohio Building Authority and the Capitol Square Review and Advisory Board, floor wardens are assigned to each floor of the Statehouse campus buildings. Quarterly training is conducted with the floor wardens in regard to a multitude of things, including building evacuations and alarm procedures. The Statehouse has an assistant director who oversees safety and security functions in that building. Commanders also conduct meetings and tabletop exercises about how to handle various incidents and how to set-up and implement emergency response plans.
It is imperative all officers assigned to the Statehouse are alert and ready to respond to a variety of critical incidents. As is the case in any area of law enforcement, ongoing training is the key to preparedness for the real thing. In addition to daily and weekly roll-call training, Highway Patrol officers assigned to Capitol Operations undergo detailed bi-annual training in a variety of areas including:
- Direct-to-Threat
- Command Post Operations
- Firearms and Close Quarter Tactics
- Evacuation Considerations and Procedures
- Lethal and Less-Lethal Use of Force
- PPE Training for Dispatchers and Secretaries
- Homicide Bomber and Suspicious Package Operations.
Open line of communication
Internal and external communications for security personnel and building occupants is integral to successful security operations. We have implemented a way to dramatically improve our ability to communicate critical information to those we serve, which is modeled after systems implemented on college campuses following the Virginia Tech shooting.
The system, called the Law Enforcement-Security Notification (LE-SN) consists of two elements: First, we have the 24/7 ability to send text messages regarding critical incidents in the Statehouse campus area to cellular telephones and other devices used by those who work within these facilities; and second, we have the 24/7 ability to send information and awareness regarding safety tips and other less urgent information to e-mail addresses of those who work in the same area.
Additional internal communications include each officer being provided a pocket schedule and information card consisting of both building and legislative calendars, as well as other useful information pertinent for that week. An electronic copy of that information is also be forwarded to all Highway Patrol command staff in the Columbus area for preparatory information purposes. We also employ ongoing communication efforts and resources for those constituencies we serve.
Closing thoughts
All officers involved with a high-profile building security assignments must realize they serve two different but very vital roles. The first is the more recognized role as a member of the security team, responsible for maintaining safety and security in our assigned buildings.
The second role is far less known but extremely important to the success of the organization. That is the role of an ambassador to represent and reflect the values of their government (or agency). They provide a real person who represents the idea and concept of government. As such, their words, actions and demeanor are a direct reflection on not only themselves but their agency, their unit and their government.
Professionalism and courtesy have been the hallmarks of the Ohio State Highway Patrol for 75 years. All Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers are expected to be polite, courteous and professional in all dealings with the public and their peers. Capitol Operations officers are expected to take that concept even further.
Essentially the job comes down to two words: "Visibility" and "Service." There is no way to cover every possible situation or scenario. There should be an expectation, however, for any officer assigned to such an important detail to expect and demand that each officer use common sense, good judgment, restraint and professionalism at all times.
About the author:
Colonel Richard H. Collins became Superintendent of the Ohio State Highway Patrol on April 20, 2007. A 28-year veteran, he earned his commission in September 1980. As a trooper he earned a Certificate of Recognition in 1984, Post Trooper of the Year honors in 1986, and the Ace Award for excellence in auto larceny enforcement in 1986. Promoted to sergeant in 1988, Colonel Collins served as an assistant commander at Piqua. He was promoted to lieutenant in 1992 and assigned to Findlay as post commander. He was elevated to staff lieutenant in 1995, and to captain in November 2000.