Tecumseh council approves measures to improve security and safety

Tecumseh council has made some changes to its security measures during council meetings. CTV Windsor’s Stefanie Masotti has more.

Tecumseh council has approved a number of measures aimed at improving security and safety.

Earlier this week, council approved a range of measures to improve safety and security for the council and town staff, and for the public who attend Town Hall and council meetings.

In light of recent experiences with overly disruptive council meetings throughout the province and in Tecumseh, municipalities are taking measures to maintain decorum and order to ensure the health and safety of those at the meetings.

Tecumseh mayor Gary McNamara said they’ve seen these types of incidents locally, and said some of these measures would have been handy a couple of years ago when hundreds of protesters attended an Essex County Council meeting against “15-minute cities”.

Some of the measures being implemented include sign-in requirements for all members of the public who attend a council meeting, postings of decorum expectations, the installation of a panic button in council chambers that would notify OPP in case of an emergency, installation of stanchions, and security personnel options.

McNamara said the town wants to be proactive, not reactive.

“The current reality is certainly that municipalities have increasingly taken measures to maintain decorum and order and ensure that the health and safety of those attending our council meetings are met,” he said.

“And reviewing certain events that have taken place across Ontario municipalities, there is a need for the town to establish general guidelines.”

He said they want everyone to feel comfortable.

“We certainly don’t have any intentions of building a fortress here, what we want to do is just make sure that there’s a comfort level for the delegations, and the members of council, staff, and certainly the residents that are coming into the building.”

McNamara said while the panic button may seem extreme, Town Hall is open to all.

“Realistically, we don’t know, and it’s not necessarily our citizens,” he said.

“You have to remember the doors are wide open and anybody has access to the facility at any given time during meetings, or during office hours, and so forth. So, it is a tool in the toolbox so to speak.”

While the public does have the right to engage in the democratic process, McNamara said there is also a need for order, proper protocol, and respectful behaviours.

Council approved the recommendation to have administration schedule guard services as required. McNamara said that would typically be when a “contentious” report goes to council.

- Written by Meagan Delaurier/AM800 News.