Denver – Gov. Bill Ritter and top state lawmakers called for a “security audit” of the Capitol today, saying they needed more information before deciding whether to make it harder for the public to access the building.
“We made no decision today, nor will we make a decision prior to receiving that audit,” said Ritter this morning during a news conference after a private one-hour meeting with lawmakers.
The review will be conducted by the Colorado Department of Public Safety.
On Monday, Aaron Snyder, 32, was shot and killed by a Colorado state trooper outside the governor’s office. Snyder was armed with a handgun when he entered Ritter’s temporary Capitol office, declaring that he was the emperor of the state.
Public access to the statehouse has been restricted to the basement doors on the north side of the building since the shooting. Visitors must pass through a metal detector.
In addition, the hallway door to the governor’s office was locked Wednesday.
House Minority Leader Mike May, R-Parker, said he hoped that open access to the building could be maintained.
“The system did work Monday,” May said. “The perpetrator was the only one who lost his life. I’m hopeful that it’s still a place where the people can still see their government at work and we’re not in a fortress capitol.”
Previous efforts to tighten security at the Capitol with metal detectors have not been long-lasting.
After the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, officials limited access and installed a metal detector, but lawmakers voted to remove that system during the 2002 legislative session.
Senate President Joan Fitz-Gerald, D-Jefferson County, who supported the removal of the metal detector, said an “increased presence of state patrol on all floors of the building” was considered adequate protection.
Ritter said providing a safe work place for state workers should be constantly under review.
“Security is not something that you take care of one time and you never need to revisit it,” Ritter said.
Lawmakers and the governor refused earlier today to discuss the building’s current security features in detail in a public meeting.
Before going into the secret session, Fitz-Gerald said, “I think it would be counterproductive to have a full exposé of what our security measures are.”
Staff writer Mark P. Couch can be reached at 303-954-1794 or mcouch@denverpost.com.
