Cost of security measures since Sept. 11 attacks hits $760,000

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- State security measures taken after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks have cost about $760,000, and the tab is guaranteed to rise, state officials said Wednesday.

State government has beefed up security at its largest buildings, adding guards and metal detectors and requiring employees to get standardized identification badges.

So far, the state has spent about $600,000 on facility improvements, equipment and personnel, said state budget director Brian Long.

Gov. Bob Holden recently released another $163,000 to the Department of Health and Senior Services to hire more people. The department handles laboratory tests for potential biological and chemical agents.

Holden said other agencies also are requesting the release of withheld dollars to help pay for new security measures.

Because the heightened security is permanent, the costs will continue to accrue.

"We want to be mindful of the costs, but at the same time the most important issue is security and the safety of employees of this state and citizens of this state," Holden said.

Long said it's too soon to estimate the longer range costs, but it's likely that departments will seek an additional appropriations for security measures when the Legislature convenes in January.

So far, all of the money has come from within department budgets, meaning other projects may be delayed or put on hold.

Of the money already spent, about $250,000 has gone toward facility improvements and equipment such as metal detectors and machines to make the specially coded photo identification badges, Long said.

Much of the rest has gone toward personnel costs, he said. Capitol Police have racked up overtime and law officers from other agencies such as the Conservation Department and state Parks Division have been used to staff security checkpoints at office buildings.

Eventually, the state plans to install turnstiles with scanners that can read identification cards, reducing the number of law officers at entrances.

Holden gets badges

Holden received his own identification badge Wednesday, cutting to the front of a nearly 100-person line but shaking each person's hand and thanking them for their patience. For some employees at the Harry S. Truman State Office Building, the wait to get their identification badges was as long as an hour.

"I'm going through the same process you are," Holden told some workers, referring to the photograph, not the wait.

While most workers received only one badge, Holden received two. He was smiling for the picture.

The photo identification cards cost 50 cents each to make, said David Mosby, the capital complex operations manager for the state Office of Administration.

Machines to make the badges will be installed soon at office buildings in St. Louis, Kansas City and Springfield, Mosby said. Eventually, all 60,000 state employees may have the badges.