AUGUSTA, Maine — A security checkpoint designed to detect weapons has been set up at the main entrance to the Maine State House.
The checkpoint, including a metal detector, started operating this week following a decision in May to allocate the $546,000 needed to pay staffers to run the checkpoint.
The decision to install the checkpoint came after U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords was shot in Arizona and former Maine Rep. Frederick Wintle was arrested and charged with pointing a gun at a stranger.
Republican Senate Majority Leader Jonathan Courtney told Maine Today Media the checkpoint protects workers and visitors.
Portland Democratic Sen. Justin Alfond questioned the expense and said the checkpoint provides a false sense of security.
The Capitol police chief says several knives have already been confiscated, but later returned to their owners.
With the current budget shortfalls, why are we wasting this money on smoke-and-mirrors perceived safety? If someone plans on holding a shoot-out in the state building, this isn’t going to stop’em.
I’ll bet that you’ve heard the phrase before – locks are only for honest people. Well, the highest level of security imaginable isn’t guaranteed to prevent a Giffords style tragedy. A devious individual will always try to defeat the security after studying it. However, the level of security they’ve implemented will slow down the person acting in the heat of the moment and perhaps reduce the likelihood of an unplanned(by the indivual) occurrence.
This is a very good idea to check weapons at the door; is this what will be done with this expenditure? Probably not. All weapons including from police, judges, lawyers, lawmakers and everybody else who enters should leave their guns at the door. The only one to have control of firearms in the State House should be the Sergeant -at- Arms of the Capitol Police. Someone must be in control of all firearms in the State House to ensure security. Make it so number one.
Sooner or later something very tragic is going to happen in a District Courtroom in Maine. The last time I was in the District Courtroom in Ellsworth it was wide open as far as security went.