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Saturday, May 19, 2007
Ind. Courts - Porter Courthouse upgrades security with new keyless entry system
James D. Wolf Jr. of the Gary Post-Tribune reports today:
New key "fobs" will allow the county to track which of its employees are in the courthouse.It's an improved step that follows national incidents of violence and local stories of people who should not be in the courthouse during off hours.
The new security allows the county to track whose fobs are being used because each fob is attached to an individual employee.
"There are people in here at strange hours that should not be in here," Porter County Auditor Jim Kopp said. "You don't know anymore what's going through people's minds, and this place is wide open. A little security will help."
The keyless entry system augments the electronic parking garage pass system started in February.
"It's linked to people's names," Melissa Hartig, the County Commission's administrative assistant, said. "We'll know who's in the building, who's in the garage" at all times.
The building's front doors will open from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., and doors off the garage will remain open 6:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. because not all employees will have the fob that opens doors.
The county wanted the systems because employees who quit gave keys to others, and people using the building at odd hours left entrances unlocked, sometimes all weekend, Hartig said. * * *
The $23,290 for the keyless system was paid through CEDIT funds.
The new garage system cost $15,757, mostly paid for from garage fund but with $2,300 from CEDIT funds designated to County Commissioner Carole Knoblock, Hartig said.
Posted by Marcia Oddi on May 19, 2007 11:40 AM
Posted to Indiana Courts