The Secret Service is proposing an improved fence around the White House, following an increase in the number of people attempting to jump the barrier onto the ground of the executive mansion.
The proposed new design would incorporate “anti-climb features” and “intrusion detection technology” in order to deter possible jumpers, according to a statement from a Secret Service spokeswoman. The new “complex design” would feature a fence that is 11 feet and seven inches tall with 1 3/4-inch pickets and taller gates near entrances.
“The current fence simply is not adequate for a modern era. We’ve said that before. It is becoming more and more acutely clear that that is in fact the case,” Secret Service official Tom Dougherty said, according to NBC Washington.
The current 6-foot fence boasts small spikes, which officials call “pencil points,” that were installed in 2015 after a series of jumpers crossed onto protected White House property.
The goal is to begin building the higher-security fence by 2018, but an exact timeline is unknown.