On April 15 Anthony Fitzpatrick, a Kingston city school board trustee, managed to get a knife undetected into the County Office Building on Fair Street in Kingston, the seat of the Ulster County government.

 

That night Fitzpatrick attended a public meeting of the Ulster County Legislature, thanked them for supporting Ukraine and later went into the a restroom across from the Legislative chamber, took a picture of himself in the mirror holding the knife and commented, “I appreciate how the wand cannot find your weapons when you have a suit and tie on.” He later posted it on the internet. The incident sparked widespread concern and a renewed interest in security measures at the county building.

 

Legislator Herb Litts [Dist. 9 Esopus, Lloyd] said not only did Fitzpatrick get inside the building with a knife but he spoke before the Legislature and attended the caucus meeting.

 

“I don’t know why a guy would do that and then post it on the internet. He has got to know he is putting his name and everything out there and now people are asking for his resignation from the Kingston City School Board,” Litts said. “It wasn’t like a pocket knife either; that blade looked to be at least four or five inches long. We [caucus] were in a small conference room and he could have taken it out and used it on anybody. Nobody knew anything about it until he posted it on the internet and I saw it the next day.”

 

Ulster County Sheriff Juan Figueroa said the detection wands are in the building at noon but they are not used until 5pm on the nights the Legislature is in session, but only if they request it. He believes Fitzpatrick may have taken his selfie during that five hour window, “but is it possible the wand missed it, anything is possible and nothing ever is going to be 100% interacting with a human being.”

 

Sheriff Figueroa has been submitting annual security assessments to the chair of the Legislature and to the County Executive. “It’s their building and they make the decisions and historically it’s been the People’s building,” he said, adding that county officials are the ones to decide whether or not to deploy a body scanner at the county building.

 

Figueroa said, “a pocket knife is not illegal but the incident upset people and something needs to be looked at and done.”

 

Officials determined that Fitzpatrick wasn’t an immediate threat but he presently has been barred from the county building until further notice and will be charged with trespassing should he return.   

 

Legislator Kevin Roberts [Dist. 12 Plattekill], Leader of the Republican Caucus, said this incident, “shows there are glaring weaknesses in the security of the Ulster County building and the assets that are in there; not only do we have a $10 to $20 million building but the most important asset that we have are the people who work there and they need to feel comfortable going to work.”

 

Roberts favors Sheriff Figueroa’s recommendations of one entrance to the building instead of two; installing a Magnetometer for all who enter the building and the windows on first two floor of the building should be made bullet-proof with the use of film protection.  

 

Roberts said the Republican caucus is submitting a resolution, “to demand that this plan be implemented. We’ve talked before and talking is over and the County Executive, Jen Metzger, felt uncomfortable putting a Magnetometer there [but] those days should be gone, we need the employees to feel comfortable.”

 

The Republican Caucus is calling for this matter with Fitzpatrick to be referred to the Ulster County District Attorney’s Office, is seeking a comprehensive investigation on how he managed to get a knife into the building undetected, wants to overhaul the building’s security procedures and have a formal report submitted to the Legislature within 30 days outlining what corrective actions will be implemented.    

 

Legislator Tom Corcoran [Dist. 11 Marlborough] recalled the axiom that ‘security is always seen to be too much until the day it’s not enough.’

 

“I don’t think it’s asking too much if you are going to come into our building to be wanded or to walk through a security thing,” he said.

 

Corcoran does not know Fitzpatrick’s intentions, “Were they good, bad or indifferent, I don’t know, but I am not opposed to using a wand or a detector on people coming into the County Office building. I think it’s going to be up the County Executive to decide whether she’s going to make it any tougher, stronger or is she just gong to let it ride.”

 

Corcoran would vote yes to fund a magnetometer if it comes before the Legislature.

 

“I don’t think a little extra security hurts. Safety is of the utmost importance, not only for us, but for the legislative staff,” he said.   

 

Gina Hansut [Dist. 10] supports a review of the safety protocols to see where improvements can be made but also believes installing a metal detector at the ground floor is a way to add another layer of security for county employees and for the public.

 

Ulster County Executive Jen Metzger released the following statement: This is a serious matter. We will be meeting with the Sheriff to review our safety protocols and security infrastructure. The safety of our elected officials, staff and community members is of paramount importance.”