Security firm hired to guard Missouri Capitol

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- The state has hired a private security firm to guard the Missouri Capitol complex, a move that will relieve police from staffing entryway metal detectors.

Guardsman Security and Investigations of Sedalia will provide security beginning June 1 at the Capitol, Truman State Office Building and the state health laboratory, state officials said Wednesday.

Guardsman has been in business since 1986.

The contract, which has been in the works for a while, will mark the first time that private guards have been deployed at the Statehouse. Private guards have been used at state buildings elsewhere in Missouri since the early 1980s.

About $400,000 of the Capitol Police agency's $591,000 budget will be used to pay the firm, which will receive about $14 an hour per worker, said Capitol Police Chief Lou Tedeschi. The Capitol Police agency patrols the Capitol and other state government buildings in Cole County.

Initially, the Capitol Police had sought funding of more than $890,000 for next year, but lawmakers facing a tight budget pared that down.

"If we hired state employees instead of hiring this service it would cost a lot more," Tedeschi said. "In this case, the state does not have to provide any benefits to the contract people."

Lawmakers also approved funding for an additional Capitol Police sergeant, who will oversee contractor operations.

Tedeschi had initially requested two people to oversee the contractor.

"The key to a contract force providing a high level of security is the manner in which we oversee the project," Tedeschi said. "In my opinion, as long as there is good strong oversight, they can be successful and provide the service that we need."

Floyd Hatfield, president of Guardsman Security, was not immediately available for comment Wednesday.

Tedeschi said employees of the firm have already received training from Capitol Police officers.

Metal detectors were installed last October at the Capitol and other major state buildings in response to the Sept. 11 attacks and the U.S. military action in Afghanistan.

Since then, metal detectors have been staffed by a mix of law enforcement agencies, including the state Capitol Police, Highway Patrol, Water Patrol, Conservation Department and Parks Division.

The new duties resulted in large amounts of overtime and have taken some officers away from their normal patrols.

Private guards already provide most of the security at the state office building in Kansas City. They also are used at state buildings in St. Louis, Springfield and St. Joseph.