Legislation making National Guard facilities in Tennessee safer have advanced on Capitol Hill.
It will add security measures to National Guard facilities in Tennessee as a response to the terrorist attack in Chattanooga last year.
Five service members were killed including four marines and another service member and a police officer were wounded.
They're adding $1.5 million of security improvements at National Guard facilities.
The improvements will be made at dozens of facilities all over the state including recruitment stations. The security improvements will include high-tech phones that will allow recruiters to take digital pictures of anyone wanting to enter the facility.
Surveillance cameras will also be installed along with bullet-resistant glass and magnetic locks with key pads and lots of barriers.
The biggest challenge will be making improvements at recruitment stations located in strip malls.
The sponsor of the legislation said there have been some limitations but extra security measures will still be added.
“Those places we cannot put in a permanent ballister in, but we can put in temporary ones in where they drill a hole and they put these ballisters in so you cannot crash through. Also at the shopping centers we will be doing stuff with the windows where they won't be able to shoot,” Representative Charles Sargent said about bullet proof glass.
Governor Haslam has already placed the expense in his budget; so it looks like clear sailing for this legislation which will make recruitment centers and the people inside them safer.
