The public?s access to Anne Arundel County Executive John R. Leopold and other executive offices soon will be restricted by tighter security measures.
“This will be no different from any other government agency,” said Fred Schram, director of Central Services. “People just don?t walk into the Oval Office. They don?t walk into the governor?s quarters.”
Cameras, security checkpoints and electronic key cards will be implemented at the Arundel Center in the coming months as part of an ongoing security upgrade at the county?s main administrative building. The Arundel Center is home to Leopold?s office, the County Council chambers and some of the council members? offices.
The building has two entrances, and people can easily bypass the security desk and take an elevator to anywhere in the building. Leopold?s office is secured by key card access.
This security lapse is caused by the Anne Arundel and Annapolis Visitor Center, which is based in the lobby until its new home on West Street is finished later this month, officials said.
Once the new procedures are in place, every visitor will come through a security checkpoint and sign in. The Northwest Street entrance, which isused by the visitor?s center, will be closed and used only as an emergency exit, Schram said.
If someone wishes to visit Leopold, his office will be contacted and allow access if the person has business with the county executive. Elevators going to Leopold?s office on the fourth floor will be restricted.
“They don?t need to be up there unless they have business up there,” Schram said, adding that the security is more for accountability.
Officials said the move is pre-emptive and does not result from a security breach.
“The whole idea is to address loopholes in security,” said Marina Harrison, Leopold?s spokeswoman.
The same type of security system and protocol is in place in other county buildings such as the Heritage Center. Other county offices, however, will not have this security upgrade, particularly the Arundel Center North building in Glen Burnie. That building houses offices for the northern council districts but is operated by Anne Arundel Community College.
