Yesterday the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) sent employees a memo concerning security. This comes on the heels of the shooting at a county facility in San Bernardino.
Before I present the memo, please keep the following facts in mind:
• The San Bernardino shooter was employed at the location where the shooting occurred for five years.
• He knew the people he was shooting.
• His act was premeditated.
• He had access to the building where the shooting occurred.
• He knew that his building was a “gun free zone”.
• He brought friends to help him commit his murderous rampage.
It has come to our attention that many staff are lax in complying with the requirement to carry their identification card on their person while on work premises as instructed in Title 15 of the California Code of Regulations. (see inserted language below)
For safety considerations, we ask that you make a habit of carrying your ID and key card/fob while at work. The reception desk will be tightening access into suite C1.
In light of recent events and the fact that our building lacks an onsite security detail, the Administrative Unit wants to be as vigilant as possible to maintain a safe work environment.State of California
California Code of Regulations
Title 15. Crime Prevention and CorrectionsSection 3414. Identification Card.
Every employee will be issued a departmental identification card. Employees must, while on duty, carry such card upon their person and produce the card upon request. An employee must promptly report the loss of his or her identification card.
Emphasis in original memo
There you have it, carry your state issued ID card and don’t lose your card key. The remainder of the memo was concerning the policy of issuing a temporary card key if you left yours at home or it was stolen.
My immediate thoughts on the memo were these:
• I guess the ID card requirement is to make identifying our bodies swifter in the event of a similar tragedy.
• I actually forgot my key card on Tuesday and never had to wait more than two minutes to get into any door in the building.
Again, the San Bernardino shooter had a county issued ID card and a key card to get into his building and how many people did he kill?
In contrast, two buildings further down the street from CDCR is the state headquarters of the National Guard. There they have two Humvees and three guys with M-16s controlling access to their parking lot; plus several concrete barriers erected around their building. In my experience, such security is traditionally conducted with unloaded weapons but if you were a bad guy which would you choose as a target. A state building that has a bunch of paper pushers in it or one where guys are brandishing weapons and most people in the building have some training on how to kill?
Given those choices and a hearty amount of criminal intent, I’d pick the known soft target.