Police chief urges citywide key-card access and cameras for municipal buildings

Police Chief Walt Femling told the Council the City should modernize building security by installing a key‑card access system and cameras for City facilities to track and control access.

Femling said there are “newer systems that could help keep both external and internal doors more secure,” and the estimate cited from a vendor was approximately $3,000–$3,500 per door for hardware and installation. Council members asked whether remote locking was an option (Mandeville said yes) and whether window security was a primary concern (Femling said windows were not the primary issue). Chief Femling said the system would allow the City to run reports on who accesses secure areas.

The presentation of the security proposal will be refined with a more detailed facility survey and vendor quotes before a final funding decision.