After New Hope shooting, security at city halls under scrutiny

The New Hope City Hall shooting that left two police officers injured and the suspect dead of gunshot wounds has drawn attention to safety and security at public buildings and spaces like council chambers.

That's especially true in Crystal, where the man who died in New Hope, Raymond Kmetz, was the subject of a restraining order taken out by the city. According to court documents, city staff say Kmetz harassed them on several occasions. In 2008, Kmetz allegedly tried to run over a Crystal police officer with a bulldozer, according to court records.

Crystal will hold a meeting Tuesday to talk about security protocols.

The city currently has a policy requiring at least one police officer to be present at all meetings.

Crystal Mayor Jim Adams said he never felt the need to have an officer present in the past. But that changed after what happened in New Hope.

"I'm glad they're there," he said, referring to the officers. "Very glad they're there."

While guns aren't legally banned from city-owned buildings in Minnesota, the League of Minnesota Cities has lobbied to include language in state law that would give city officials authority to ban guns from spaces like city halls and council chambers.

"The political reality is, it would be very difficult to pass that," LMC public safety lobbyist Anne Finn said, adding that lawmakers believe allowing cities to choose would create a patchwork throughout the state.

"It may not be a good use of our political capital," she added.

But whether a change in the law would make a difference in an active shooter situation is still a question.

"Our policy deals more with the local control issue and it deals with law-abiding people who may want to carry in public places," she said. "I don't know what was in (Kmetz's) mind when he came to city hall with a gun. But something tells me that that individual probably wasn't going to read a sign and then abide by the city's rules."

Video: Kmetz opens fire at Jan. 26, 2015 City Council meeting

Having a weapons ban at city halls could have its own challenges and expenses as well. Cities may have to install scanners and hire additional staff to do the screenings.

"You can create that policy, but if you're going to really hold a line firm on that, it comes with a whole series of other kinds of considerations," Maplewood Police Chief Paul Schnell said.

Schnell met with Maplewood city officials last year to discuss security measures at City Hall in the wake of shooting incidents at various government and nongovernment facilities around the country. The council discussed how to respond to an active shooter situation and approved a new policy requiring at least one police officer, sometimes undercover, to attend all City Council meetings.

Schnell said the city wants to allow residents to speak out, but "at the same time some of the anti-government stuff can become more militant and potentially concerning.

"We may never know how much damage, how much harm, how much violence they intend to cause, but we want to deal with that threat as quickly and swiftly as possible," he added.

Crystal Police Chief Stephanie Revering said in a memo to city officials that protocols for disruptions and serious safety threats should be considered.

She encouraged the council to discuss evacuation or lockdown methods for the council chambers and City Hall.

"I don't feel like we need to panic," Crystal's Mayor Adams said. "I think we need to have a logical conversation as far as what we want to change and if we want to change anything."