City Announces New Security Measures at City Hall

Effective January 2, 2020, a number of security enhancements will be implemented to ensure the safety of City employees, public officials, as well as the general public visiting or doing business at City Hall.  These enhancements will detect and prevent weapons and/or contraband from entering the building.  In addition, the enhancements will improve the ability to deter, detect, and respond to potential acts of violence.

The new security protocols create a single public point of entry for the building.  All visitors will be required to enter through the main entrance on the first floor of City Hall facing P Street and go through a security screening process.  All other public access into the building on the first and second floors will be closed off for visitors after the first of the year.

The security screening process will include passage through a metal detector device, an examination of all hand-carried items sent through an x-ray machine, and a hand-wand and/or manual inspection.  Items such as overcoats, purses, briefcases, backpacks, and parcels will be placed on the conveyor belt for x-ray screening. 

In addition to a more visual security presence, additional cameras have been installed throughout City Hall as well as a public address system to announce any emergency situations.

City employees with access badges can enter City Hall through the employee entrance at the back of the building.  Employees who do not have an access badge will have to enter through the front of the building and go through the standard security screen process.

Unauthorized weapons are prohibited within the building, per California Penal Code section 171b.  In addition to the restrictions listed in Penal Code Section 171b, the City of Fresno prohibits members of the public who hold a concealed weapons permit from entering City Hall with a firearm.  Peace officers, as defined by Penal Code Section 830.1(a), will be allowed to possess firearms in the building. 

The following items are prohibited, except as approved for City employees for work purposes:

In addition to the items listed above, any object deemed potentially offensive and/or dangerous by Security personnel and/or by the Fresno Police Department will not be allowed into the Building.