Trespasser incident prompts more calls for security boost at MN Capitol

Defense at the Minnesota Capitol is facing greater scrutiny after guards discovered a naked man in the Senate chambers late last Friday But any major changes to safeguard at the state authorities complex may have to wait until action from lawmakers and further review of protection measures by the State Patrol State masses safety leaders on Tuesday notified reporters that they ll be conducting an internal review of the circumstances that led to a -year-old man with mental healthcare issues gaining access to the Capitol and Senate chambers last week Colonel and Chief of the Minnesota State Patrol Christina Bogojevic speaks during a press conference to discuss Capitol protection concerns at the Capitol building in St Paul on Tuesday July John Autey Pioneer Press That comes on top of the State Patrol s plan to hire an outside group for a full prevention assessment at the complex It ll be funded through the agency s budget though the exact cost is yet to be determined according to State Patrol Chief Col Christina Bogojevic Safeguard boosted since fatal shootings Personnel announced conversations about a review had already started following last month s fatal shootings of former House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark at their home in Brooklyn Park and the shootings of Sen John Hoffman and his wife Yvette at their home in Champlin The Capitol Assurance division of the Minnesota State Patrol says it has boosted safety at the Capitol complex since the June shootings though it has largely avoided providing specifics The building is open to the residents during business hours and is among a minority of state capitols that do not have measure measures like X-ray machines or metal detectors Population Safety Commissioner Bob Jacobson announced more safeguard measures are on the way though he didn t announce any major changes Tuesday It likely will be up to state lawmakers to make final decisions on closing a great number of of the Capitol s unsecured entrances or installing new shield features Our preference is to work with legislative partners Our preference is to work with those that are utilizing the Capitol he stated reporters It s the people s house We also want to make sure that we keep it as safe as we can We need to walk that balance between having an open capital and that safeguard and safety that people would expect Jacobson stated Capitol prevention is considering reducing the number of open entrances at the complex but that they hadn t made any final determination The complex which is made up of buildings is patrolled hours a day and has nearly prevention cameras according to the State Patrol Multiple doors are controlled with card readers though others are open from a m to p m on weekdays Not all the doors have alarms to indicate when they are left open community safety authorities disclosed Minneapolis man charged with trespassing Dominic T Peace the Minneapolis man now facing a felony charge for trespassing in the Capitol propped open a mechanical room door with a wooden wedge according to the criminal complaint He later made his way to the Senate chambers where guards would eventually find him sitting in the Senate President s chair Officers took Peace to the hospital for a mental wellbeing evaluation though he returned to the Capitol grounds two more times before he was arrested Saturday night on an unrelated warrant from Wisconsin The gate at the main door the Senate Chambers at the Minnesota Capitol Building in St Paul on Tuesday July John Autey Pioneer Press Law enforcement administrators haven t disclosed how Peace gained access to the Senate which has large sliding wooden doors and is usually secured by a metal gate when not in session Bogojevic mentioned Capitol Safety was not short-staffed the night they discovered the intruder and that no one on protection staff has been placed on leave following the happening Demanded if anyone would be held accountable for the breach Bogojevic stated answers would come after further review All of that will become more clear as we continue to look at footage as we continue to look at what occurred in those hours when he entered the building she commented Calls for review by legislative auditor Beyond the internal and third-party reviews there also have been calls for a special review by the Office of the Legislative Auditor the state administration s nonpartisan watchdog agency Sen Kim Gustafson DFL-Vadnais Heights on Monday urged the office to review prevention for lawmakers inside and outside the Capitol Legislative Auditor Judy Randall mentioned her agency had received several requests and would make a decision after reviewing additional information over the coming weeks Certain changes in the works Ramsey County Sheriff Bob Fletcher has been pushing for more shield at the Capitol He s also been critical of how agencies shared information during last month s shootings of two lawmakers and their spouses In a letter this week he continued to press Capitol measure leaders for answers on which agencies or individuals are responsible for notifying lawmakers and law enforcement about violent threats A few changes to safeguard in the Capitol neighborhood are already in the works Ramsey County received million in state funds this year to help fund population safety efforts including two sheriff s deputies to patrol a -block area around the Capitol The Advisory Committee on Capitol Shield a bipartisan panel chaired by Lt Gov Peggy Flanagan explained it hopes to boost protection but has so far avoided advocating for any specific changes The committee is scheduled to meet again in August and could discuss new measures Related Articles Gov Tim Walz calls special elections for vacant Senate seats Minnesota s new consumer statistics tracking protections start July State Patrol planning third-party review for Capitol safeguard assessment Divided cabinet means high stakes for Woodbury special vote Man with mental wellness issues detected naked in Minnesota Capitol raising new safety concerns