Osseo adds bullet-resistant panels, panic buttons to City Council chambers

Another Twin Cities suburb is boosting security at City Hall after the deadly shooting outside a City Council meeting in New Hope last winter.

This month, Osseo installed bullet-resistant panels around the City Council desk and five panic buttons at City Hall to beef up security for the small town. The council approved the new measures, which cost the city about $9,000, at the end of May and the work was completed last week.

"They're not elected to be put in that position," Mayor Duane Poppe said of council members facing threats.

Last January in New Hope, resident Raymond Kmetz burst in and wounded two police officers at a swearing-in ceremony before he was killed by return fire. There were 20 armed officers in the City Hall lobby for the ceremony and Kmetz never reached the City Council chambers. But the incident prompted increased security there and in other cities.

In New Hope, the police chief now sits with the council during meetings while another officer is posted outside. Other suburbs such as Blaine and Golden Valley have added uniformed police officers at council meetings.

However, many other cities reviewed long-standing security procedures after the New Hope shooting and decided no changes were needed.

In Osseo, Police Chief Shane Mikkelson told council members at their May 25 meeting that the police department's limited staff would make it difficult to have an officer at meetings, but he recommended the security upgrades.

"The bulletproofing on the dais would be good for your security if something were to happen," he added. "If someone came in here shooting, you'd be able to duck down and get behind [it]."

The city had been discussing extra security measures before the New Hope shooting, Assistant City Administrator Riley Grams said in an e-mail, but the New Hope incident prompted the city to act sooner.

Staff writer John Reinan contributed to this report.

Kelly Smith • 612-673-4141