Lehigh County Gov't Center Installs Metal Detectors

Fast on the heels of the Gabrielle Giffords tragedy comes word that Lehigh County will implement new security procedures, starting today, at its Government Center on 7th & Hamilton Streets, in Allentown. It's a coincidence, but even governments as far away as Minnesota are now reviewing safety protocols. Congressman Charlie Dent told WFMZ-TV69 that federal authorities will likely insist on a police presence at future town halls.

In Lehigh, metal detectors have been installed at the building’s main entrance and keycard readers have been placed on exterior doors. Employees have been issued ID cards with electronic access codes, but the rest of us will be corralled through the Seventh Street entrance, and pass through a security checkpoint and a metal detector. Side entrances to the building will no longer be available to the public.

The building will continue to be open to the public from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and for publicly-advertised meetings as scheduled. The Government Center will now have the same security measures as the Lehigh County Courthouse, Fifth and Hamilton Streets, Allentown.

“The public will continue to have full access to the Lehigh County Government Center, but a higher level of security will be established to ensure a safer environment for all who use the building,” County Executive Don Cunningham said. “This will create the exact same level of security at the government center that has long been in place down the street at the county courthouse.”

The security upgrade has long been a part of the building’s master plan and was part of the 2010 budget proposed last year by Cunningham and approved by the Lehigh County Board of Commissioners.

Glenn "Commissioner No" Eckhart had asked for cattle prods, but was overruled. This dude is gonna' have a problem.