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Giannoulias lays out lock-down timeline, urges signup for mass notification system (Updated)

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* Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias is in charge of overseeing registered lobbyists, so they received this e-mail today…

Dear Registered Lobbyist,

At the Secretary of State’s office, we’re steadfast in ensuring the safety and security of all personnel, elected officials and visitors at the Capitol Building and Complex.

Last week, our State Capitol was placed on lock-down after a threatening call to the Sangamon County 911 Center triggered our alert system. While no threat was discovered, the event underscored the dedication and diligence of our emergency responders and the importance of emergency preparedness.

We’re proud of our Illinois Capitol Police command staff, investigators and security guards who responded to Tuesday’s threat quickly, efficiently and without hesitation. We also want to thank the Illinois State Police, Sangamon County Dispatch, Sangamon County Sheriff’s Department, Springfield City Police and Springfield Park Police for their assistance and support in sweeping and securing the Capitol grounds and all buildings on the Complex.

Below is a timeline of events:

• 1:43 p.m. — Sangamon County 911 Dispatch received the threatening message and immediately contacted the Secretary of State Police, who mobilized and deployed a SWAT team to begin securing and sweeping the Capitol Building and Complex.
• 1:57 p.m. — All buildings were officially placed on lock-down, and the shelter-in-place protocol was initiated via the Capitol Complex’s Emergency Notification System and REGROUP mass notification system.
• 2:16 p.m. — Secretary of State Police completed their grounds sweep and determined no threats existed outside.
• 2:35 p.m. — Secretary of State Police completed their floor-to-floor sweep of all Capitol Complex buildings and determined no threats existed.
• 3:00 p.m. — An all-clear message was issued via the Capitol Complex’s Emergency Notification System and REGROUP mass notification system.

We’re relieved no threat was found, but the event serves as a reminder of the dangerous world we live in and how crucial it is to be prepared for an emergency event.

That is why, the first month we took office, the administration got to work updating our Capitol Emergency Response Program, which provides an Emergency Action Guide for various emergency events and details the Lock-Down protocol. We also made sure emergency preparedness training is available to all Capitol Complex employees.

• Our office provides Capitol Emergency Awareness training on emergency protocols for anyone who works on the Capitol Complex with regular trainings held every March and September.
• Secretary of State Police also offers the training upon request by contacting SOSPoliceERP@ilsos.gov any time during the year.
• You can also sign up for our REGROUP mass notification, which is one of the quickest ways to communicate emergency events.

If you have not already, we encourage everyone to sign up for a training and to receive REGROUP alerts. Despite having these services and programs available during the last several years, only a small percentage have taken advantage of them.

At the Secretary of State’s office, we plan to require our employees to enroll in an Emergency Training class upon getting hired. We also recommend that lawmakers consider requiring that they, as well as all Capitol and Complex-based employees and frequent visitors who receive entry badges, such as lobbyists and the media, also undergo the training.

We’re relieved and grateful no threat was found and appreciative of our emergency responders’ bravery. We look forward to working with all Complex employees and elected officials to ensure we’re prepared.

Stay safe and vigilant,

Alexi Giannoulias
Illinois Secretary of State

A link to the REGROUP mass notification system was included in the email.

Anyway, your thoughts on the timeline and explanation?

…Adding… Legislative leaders and the governor’s office received a similar email on Monday. So, staff and members should be notified by them.

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Mar 21, 24 @ 10:43 am

Comments

As someone who comforted a person traumatized by the shooting of Bill in the Capitol, I greatly appreciate the continued updating of procedures to make the workers and visitors as safe as possible.

Comment by Norseman Thursday, Mar 21, 24 @ 10:54 am
Guess staff will get a separate update from the ICP and/or Alexi? It’d be nice given some of us were denied entry into one building while the other was taking people in. Staff were allowed to roam in basement and left to find their own place of safety when all the doors were locked. There really isn’t much to be “proud” of in this case. Do better.

Comment by Staff Thursday, Mar 21, 24 @ 10:57 am
I could be wrong, but 14 minutes between the call and the lockdown seems a little long.

Comment by H-W Thursday, Mar 21, 24 @ 10:58 am
I’ve never understood: if someone actually intends to do violence, why call in advance to announce it? I know this type of person isn’t a perfectly rational agent, but still

Comment by Mountain Goat Thursday, Mar 21, 24 @ 11:14 am
Good response–pretty much exactly what I asked for last week. Too bad when I gave them my email to try to create an account I got a response that they didn’t recognize my email and I could get any further. Sigh.

Comment by SAP Thursday, Mar 21, 24 @ 11:39 am
@ Mountain Goat

Calling in a false report is a violent act. It violates the well-being of those who are forced to shelter, and who are made to fear. That the report is false only speaks to the cowardice and meanness of the perpetrator. But it is still a violent act.

Comment by H-W Thursday, Mar 21, 24 @ 11:41 am
- 14 minutes between the call and the lockdown seems a little long. -

I disagree, unless there was something unique that made this threat seem credible I think the lockdown was an overreaction. I think standardizing the response protocols is definitely needed, but we can’t have our capitol locked down every time a nut calls in a threat.

Comment by Excitable Boy Thursday, Mar 21, 24 @ 11:41 am
===I think the lockdown was an overreaction===

Are you privy to any actual information beyond your own vibes?

Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Mar 21, 24 @ 11:44 am
===any actual information===

One of the lessons I learned from covering Kosovo and Iraq is that there were people who knew a whole lot more about what was going on than I did.

Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Mar 21, 24 @ 11:49 am
- Are you privy to any actual information beyond your own vibes? -

Not really, which is why I included the first half of that sentence.

Comment by Excitable Boy Thursday, Mar 21, 24 @ 12:03 pm
===Not really, which is why I included the first half of that sentence.===

The first thing you said was you disagreed, because of feelings or something.

Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Mar 21, 24 @ 12:07 pm