Kentucky City Hall Protects Employees with Security Enclosure

Kentucky City Hall Protects Employees with Security Enclosure

A clear, protective enclosure is being installed this week in the first-floor lobby of Owensboro City Hall as a precautionary measure to protect citizen-service representatives.

  • By Jessica Davis
  • Mar 22, 2019

Owensboro City Hall is installing a clear, protective enclosure in the first-floor lobby of its building this week. City officials said the enclosure is a precautionary measure to protect citizen-service representatives from potentially disgruntled customers.

According to Owensboro City Clerk Beth Cecil, who supervises the city’s three part-time citizen service reps, she doesn’t know of any major employee safety problems. However, she wants to ensure those employees are safe in case an issue arises.

"We're doing this out of an abundance of caution," Cecil said. "It's precautionary. We do sometimes have citizens who come in and are disgruntled about a variety of things. I thought it would be a good idea to keep those employees behind a barrier in case things were to get out of hand."

Citizen-service representatives at City Hall are CityAction employees who are responsible for fielding complaints, answering questions and directing citizens to the correct departments.

Owensboro contracted with Kentucky Mirror & Plate Glass Co. to install the glass enclosure, separated on the east side of the lobby with a door. The city’s Finance and Support Services Department tax counter on the north side of the lobby is already separated from the public by a glass enclosure.

Assistant City Manager Lelan Hancock said the Finance and Support Services Department tax counter has experienced issues with particularly angry visitors before. In those situations, CSRs are exposed, he said.

"Sometimes people are upset about the taxes they pay," Hancock said. "Some people have become absolutely irate. It's certainly not common, but, for the protection of the employee who may be dealing with those people, we decided this was the safest step."

About the Author

Jessica Davis is the Associate Content Editor for 1105 Media.

Featured

  • UL Solutions Launches Artificial Intelligence Safety Certification Services

    UL Solutions Inc., a global leader in safety science, today announced the launch of artificial intelligence (AI) safety certification services, enabling comprehensive assessments for evaluating the safety of AI-powered products. Read Now

  • ESA Announces Initiative to Introduce the SECURE Act in State Legislatures

    The Electronic Security Association (ESA), the national voice for the electronic security and life safety industry, has announced plans to introduce the SECURE Act in state legislatures across the country beginning in 2025. The proposal, known as Safeguarding Election Candidates Using Reasonable Expenditures, provides a clear framework that allows candidates and elected officials to use campaign funds for professional security services. Read Now

    • Guard Services

  • Ransomware Attacks Rise for the First Time in Six Months

    Ransomware attacks have risen for the first time in six months, increasing by 28% month-on-month to 421 attacks. While overall attack volume remained below 500, the uptick may signal a renewed escalation heading into the year’s most active period for cyber criminals. Read Now

  • Report: 47 Percent of Security Service Providers Are Not Yet Using AI or Automation Tools

    Trackforce, a provider of security workforce management platforms, today announced the launch of its 2025 Physical Security Operations Benchmark Report, an industry-first study that benchmarks both private security service providers and corporate security teams side by side. Based on a survey of over 300 security professionals across the globe, the report provides a comprehensive look at the state of physical security operations. Read Now

    • Guard Services

  • Identity Governance at the Crossroads of Complexity and Scale

    Modern enterprises are grappling with an increasing number of identities, both human and machine, across an ever-growing number of systems. They must also deal with increased operational demands, including faster onboarding, more scalable models, and tighter security enforcement. Navigating these ever-growing challenges with speed and accuracy requires a new approach to identity governance that is built for the future enterprise. Read Now

Most   Popular

New Products

  • ResponderLink

    ResponderLink

    Shooter Detection Systems (SDS), an Alarm.com company and a global leader in gunshot detection solutions, has introduced ResponderLink, a groundbreaking new 911 notification service for gunshot events. ResponderLink completes the circle from detection to 911 notification to first responder awareness, giving law enforcement enhanced situational intelligence they urgently need to save lives. Integrating SDS’s proven gunshot detection system with Noonlight’s SendPolice platform, ResponderLink is the first solution to automatically deliver real-time gunshot detection data to 911 call centers and first responders. When shots are detected, the 911 dispatching center, also known as the Public Safety Answering Point or PSAP, is contacted based on the gunfire location, enabling faster initiation of life-saving emergency protocols.

  • Unified VMS

    AxxonSoft introduces version 2.0 of the Axxon One VMS. The new release features integrations with various physical security systems, making Axxon One a unified VMS. Other enhancements include new AI video analytics and intelligent search functions, hardened cybersecurity, usability and performance improvements, and expanded cloud capabilities

  • Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.

    Connect ONE®

    Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.