Security tightened at Minnesota State Capitol building

Starting Wednesday, visitors to the Minnesota State Capitol will encounter tighter security and fewer public entry points under new measures announced by the Department of Public Safety.

The heightened security come a week after safety officials ordered an outside review of security at the State Capitol in response to the shootings of two lawmakers at their homes and a recent break-in at the Capitol building. The changes are the most visible step yet to increasing security at the Capitol complex, which is one of only a few in the country without metal detectors.

The changes, approved by DPS Commissioner Bob Jacobson, reduce the number of open Capitol building entrances from three to two — both on the building’s south side. Normally there are 14 total doors open during business hours. Starting Wednesday, there will only be a total of four open doors.

There will also be a greater presence of Capitol Security officers at those doors. Officials say the goal is to enhance safety while maintaining public accessibility.

“The Capitol is more than just a building. It’s a symbol of democracy and a place where Minnesotans come to be heard,” Jacobson said in a Tuesday statement.

Public access will now be limited to the main south entrance at the top of the Capitol steps and a ground-level accessible entrance beneath them. All other doors will require key card access. Visitors needing to use the tunnel from the Senate Building ramp must call Capitol Security dispatch to request an escort.

The State Patrol, which oversees 24/7 security for the Capitol complex, is also elevating Lt. Col. Jeremy Geiger to oversee Capitol Security operations more directly — a move officials say will streamline decision-making and improve responsiveness.

Law enforcement officials have fended off criticism of their response to the shootings of Minnesota lawmakers. On Tuesday, the Minnesota Star Tribune reported the state’s mass notification system that was purchased to alert legislators about emergencies wasn’t used on the morning of June 14 when a shooter killed House DFL leader Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, in their Brooklyn Park home, and shot Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, at their home in Champlin.

The alert system, called Everbridge, is overseen by the State Patrol and can alert staff and state employees about emergencies on the Capitol complex.

Col. Christina Bogojevic, chief of the State Patrol, has said the system was not designed to share information for “off-complex events.” However, state officials are exploring whether they can expand the Everbridge system to reach legislators outside the Capitol.