Jittery Capitol workers glad security will be reviewed

April M. Washington And Alan Gathright, Rocky Mountain News

Published July 19, 2007 at midnight

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Several Capitol staff members said they welcome the governor's call for a review of the building's security features in the wake of Monday's fatal shooting.

They said they are still rattled by the violence that occurred just outside the governor's office.

Gov. Bill Ritter said Wednesday that he will ask the Colorado State Patrol "to give us a template to enhance security in this building." His announcement came after a closed-door meeting with legislative leaders and the patrol.

Aaron Snyder, 32, who had a loaded gun, was shot Monday by a trooper.

Many lawmakers have been reluctant to impose barriers to public access in what some call the "people's house."

But that feeling isn't universal.

Capitol employees, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, pointed out that while most offices have panic buttons to call the State Patrol, not every desk has one.

And troopers are not stationed on every floor. The leadership offices are wide open, and in some cases, secluded.

Rene White, an office manager for the Senate minority office, said she worries about a potential copycat incident. Two summers ago, White and a co-worker were cornered in their offices by a delusional drug addict.

White pushed a security button, she said, and it took 90 seconds for help to arrive.

"We didn't know if the guy had a gun in his pocket," she said. "It turned out to be a crack pipe."

After Monday's shooting, public access to the Capitol was restricted to one entrance on the north side, equipped with a metal detector. Ritter said that procedure will remain in effect for now.

The security audit will be the third since 1999. While a number of security recommendations were put into place, lawmakers had decided against installing metal detectors, eliminating parking in the circle around the Capitol and moving the governor's and lieutenant governor's offices from the Statehouse.

Senate President Joan Fitz- Gerald co-sponsored a resolution in 2002 that led to the removal of metal detectors at the Capitol after the 2001 terrorists attacks. She said the consensus among lawmakers was to avoid turning the Capitol into a fortress.

House Minority Leader Mike May agreed, contending that the likely target of a gunman would be the governor, not legislative leaders and staff.

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