New State House Security Still Offline
We’ll admit it’s rare when a stuffed animal uncovers major breaking news, but such is the case with “Mr. Mouse,” who was dispatched to the S.C. State House by FITSNews over the weekend to conduct an independent analysis of the complex’s security system.
While Mr. Mouse’s report concluded that current security measures at the State House were more than sufficient to provide protection to the many elected officials and distinguished visitors who come to the complex each year, many have asked why he did not specifically assess the impact of the new $5.9 million security upgrades.
Well, that’s easy … the upgrades still aren’t operational.
“There is no enhanced security at the complex for me to analyze at this point,” Mr. Mouse noted in an addendum to his original report, excerpts of which were published here on Sunday.
Wait, what?
State House employees were issued their RFID’s (Radio Frequency ID cards) back in the spring of this year, and the timetable for implementing the new system was originally scheduled for earlier this summer.
Mid-way through September, however, the new system is still not functioning, and sources at the State House tell FITSNews that recent tests have uncovered dozens of bugs that have prohibited it from becoming operational.
“It’s not operational today,” confirmed Mike Sponhour, a spokesman for the S.C. Budget and Control Board, which is the agency responsible for updating the security system. “We’ve been testing it extensively, though, working out all the bugs. They’ve been working on it diligently. One of the challenges is that you can’t just turn the whole thing on until you’re ready to go.”
Sponhour disagreed that the system’s implementation is behind schedule, however.
“I don’t know if there was ever a date certain for it being operational,” he said.
Sponhour says the new system will be rolled out “in phases,” and while declining to provide specific dates for the rollout, said the system is “just about done” and will become operational “in the near future.”
In addition to the technical problems with the new system, sources tell FITSNews that several of the new physical security additions have been bungled.
For example, an new security room in the basement of the State House complex (located just outside the entrance) was constructed – and then torn down after it was unable to accommodate the new metal detector which it was specifically constructed to house.
Workers at the State House have confirmed that a brand new wall had to be ripped down and completely rebuilt due to the mix-up.
Perhaps the most ironic thing about the new State House security system – assuming it’s ever implemented – is that lawmakers will be required to keep their RFID’s on them at all times. If they forget to bring them, the garage doors won’t open for their vehicles and they may be denied access to the complex.
Knowing our legislators’ penchant for stupidity (and arrogance), our guess is that it’ll only take one lawmaker forgetting his or her badge to cause the whole system to come crashing down.
UPDATE – No word yet on whether the new security system will do a better job than our state’s “toughest-in-the-nation” immigration laws at keeping alleged illegal aliens from working on the State House grounds (see here and here).
Comments
By Some Chick on September 16th, 2008 at 7:05 pm
Indeed,
“…it’ll only take one lawmaker forgetting his or her badge to cause the whole system to come crashing down.”
And that will be when they ram their Crown Vic into it. Trust me.
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