At New Windsor’s monthly Town Council meeting Wednesday evening, Mayor Neal Roop suggested possible safety measures the town could take in response to a pair of recent incidents.
Last Friday, a man rammed his pickup truck into Taneytown City Hall after his water service had been cut off, according to police. New Windsor officials did take notice.
“New Windsor, like every other municipality, is always looking into ensuring their public buildings are safe for employees and anyone entering the buildings,” Roop said.
The county commissioners unanimously approved funding Thursday for security upgrades to the Carroll County Circuit Court’s buildings. And in August the commissioners approved security upgrades for the county office building.
New Windsor is currently in the process of renovating the former fire hall for its new town hall and offices, according to Roop.
“There are things within the renovations that I feel will make it a safer environment,” Roop said in an email.
The most visible of the renovations of the new town hall will be the block and brick wall on the front of the building, Roop said. At the meeting, he mentioned the idea of adding bulletproof glass but doesn’t think it’s currently necessary and that “it’s something to think about.”
“I think everyone is concerned about safety, whether it’s what happened in Taneytown or many of the other municipal incidents we’ve recently witnessed around the country,” Roop said.
In May, a shooting rampage at a municipal building in Virginia Beach left 12 people dead.
Another incident on officials’ minds occurred early last month, when the 7-Eleven in New Windsor was robbed at gunpoint at about 3 a.m.
According to Roop, the owner of that 7-Eleven suggested an ordinance to limit the hours of operation at the convenience store — one of several options the town is considering.
Other options include limiting transactions to debit and credit cards after a certain hour, new visual recognition cameras, and a serve-through window. All of these options are being explored but nothing has been finalized, according to Roop.
“We’re protecting the lives of the employees and the residents that may be going there at 2, 3 o’clock in the morning,” Roop said.
In regards to the 7-Eleven robbery, Roop recalled a Facebook comment that mentioned having a deputy stationed at the 7-Eleven. The notion was quickly shut down by Councilwoman Kimberlee Schultz, who said it would take about $200,000 to $300,000 to fund someone to be stationed there 24/7.
According to Roop, the town is still exploring options to keep New Windsor residents safe.
