Boise City Hall heightens security amid escalated rhetoric and threats
Boise plans to shore up security at City Hall amid increasing threats and violent rhetoric in local and state politics.
The city plans to heighten garage door security at City Hall with new doors that would keep people from gaining access to the basement levels without authorization.
The measures follow the establishment some months ago of a security detail that accompanies Mayor Lauren McLean in public and also attends City Council meetings.
The City Council approved a request to reallocate $550,000 for the security project at a Tuesday work session.
Four hundred thousand dollars would be taken out of the Public Works Department budget to add security doors to the street-level garage entrances to City Hall, according to a city memorandum. The garages now have doors below ground, which does not prevent “unauthorized access under the building.”
“All new doors would be high-speed and designed for frequent travel, which would allow access control during business hours, as opposed to being open during the workday as they currently operate,” said the memo from the city’s Budget Office. “This project would significantly improve security by mitigating known security vulnerabilities.”
In the future, the city will need funding to do the same to entrances along an alley off of Sixth Street, according to the memo.
The remaining funds — $150,000 — would come from a canceled project to update employees’ security badges, the memo said. The project was canceled because the department was unable to procure the required equipment and supplies because of supply-chain problems.
Escalated threats
The recently heightened security comes as threats to local officials have increased during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Angry protesters showed up at Central District Health board meetings to oppose mask mandates, with some protesters going to the homes of officials. Other heated protests have occurred at school board meetings. The temperature of public debate has increased following anger over public health requirements and false claims about the 2020 presidential election results.
The same day that a lone shooter killed two people at the Boise Towne Square Mall in October 2021, a Boise man who believed the 2020 election was stolen asked a crowd in Nampa, “When do we get to use the guns?” The event featured Charlie Kirk, an activist and ardent supporter of former president Donald Trump.
A few weeks later, a visitor at the Idaho State Museum, in Boise, wrote on a message board: “I want to see all liberals dead.”
In February, Idaho Statesman reporting counted at least nine local officials who had spoken of receiving threats.
In recent months, Boise has elected to release travel details of city officials only after the fact in response to security threats.
Though City Hall has had security for years, the building now has a Boise Police Department security detail.
That detail also provides security during City Council meetings.
Though details have not been made public, the mayor has faced “real and grave” threats, according to a March statement by the mayor.
Protesters carrying torches have stood outside the mayor’s home. In the summer of 2020, “angry militia-affiliated crowds” were outside her home every Sunday, the statement said.
“There were threats that went far beyond standing on our front walk,” the statement said.
In August, a Canyon County man was sentenced 6½ years in prison for unlawfully possessing a firearm and assaulting a law enforcement officer. The man had multiple guns as well as zip ties, tactical gear, a red and blue LED light, a “POLICE” patch and a real Boise police badge in his possession, according to court documents. He had also written threats to federal workers on public land, and written threatening messages to McLean in a notebook investigators uncovered. He had written “Die McLean” on a bullet.
In her March statement, the mayor said she would not be intimidated by threats of violence.
This story was originally published September 14, 2022 at 4:00 AM.
