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Huntington Beach city officials are expected to consider beefing up security at city council meetings after some elected officials said residents are raising safety concerns.
Councilmembers Rhonda Bolton, Dan Kalmick and Natalie Moser are slated to bring forward an item at tonight’s council meeting that could see security screenings and other measures.
“Specifically, as this Council knows, we have received many emails and in-person communications from residents saying they do not feel safe coming down to these chambers to exercise their constitutional rights,” reads a memo from Bolton, Moser and Kalmick.
“The contrast between City Hall entrances, where no screening technologies are used, and the Police Department building, where employees sit behind bullet-proof glass, is instructive. It is plain to see why one feels less safe than the other,” they said.
Huntington Beach City Council meetings have often become heated over the past few years with long, heated public comment sections while elected officials often take on controversial issues.
It’s come as a divided council debates issues like voter ID laws, “obscene” books at the public library, transgender notification laws and a controversial airshow.
“Factors such as the overheated political rhetoric now commonplace at our meetings and the known presence of weapons in the possession of individuals who are not members of law enforcement, create an uncomfortable environment for City Hall visitors,” reads the memo included with tonight’s agenda.
One resident sent an email to city officials detailing her experience attending public meetings with rowdy audience members.
“California law prohibits the possession of weapons in a local public building. It’s time to enforce that law,” Huntington Beach resident Michele Burgess wrote. “Enact sensible security precautions that are more proactive than a few police officers standing around in the council chamber keeping an eye on things.”
The memo emphasizes a need to find solutions to better detect people trying to enter city hall with weapons.
It calls on the city manager to work with the police department and enhance city hall’s physical security, especially when it comes to detecting weapons.
The city of Anaheim took a similar approach in 2019 during the Angels stadium negotiations.
Attendees must walk through metal detectors and have their bags searched before entering the Anaheim City Council chambers to attend a public meeting.
The city hired nine security guards to operate the metal detectors and conduct bag searches at the time.
The Huntington Beach City Council’s regular meeting begins at 6 p.m. tonight.
“An evaluation is overdue to ensure that our Police Department has the best available tools at its disposal to physically secure the Council Chambers, where a large audience typically assembles for public meetings, as well as the rest of City Hall,” reads the memo from Bolton, Moser and Kalmick.
Angelina Hicks is a Voice of OC Tracy Wood Reporting Fellow. Contact her at ahicks@voiceofoc.org or on Twitter @angelinahicks13
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