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State workers arrived to the James R. Thompson Center this morning to discover that the security guards were missing. Considering the shooting at the Statehouse last month, the election is tomorrow and Osama bin Laden just cut another videotape, some people were a bit freaked out.
It doesn’t help morale, either, that the governor still has guards standing in front of his office while the other offices are exposed.
Here’s an explanation from within the governor’s office (I just got back from the dentist and cannot talk, so this was via e-mail. More tomorrow):
“The contract with the security company ended last week and ISP (the Illinois State Police) is going to take over. For now, ISP has officers detailed to every floor and others who are roaming the building.”
The coppers aren’t very visible, however, which is what seems to be upsetting so many people. The previous security guards were at their stations (and they’re still at their stations in front of the guv’s office), so people could see them.
Attorney General Lisa Madigan’s press spokesperson had this to say:
“At a time when most government buildings are evaluating their security and becoming more secure, it concerns us that a level of security in the Thompson Center has been removed. It is critical that the public be able to access our offices, but it is also critical that the state employees who work here feel secure. We expect and want people to be able to come into our offices, but that requires taking some common-sense steps on our part.”
Translation: We’re not happy about this.
UPDATE: A friend of mine who works at the Thompson Center claims she hasn’t seen any state cops today.
posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Nov 1, 04 @ 1:46 pm
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