Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - In the weeks since violent incidents among the youth forced the Buffalo and Erie County Library to alter their hours at the Central Library downtown and call upon the assistance of Buffalo Peacemakers, the library is now looking to take their safety measures to the next level.
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As part of the budget amendment package pertaining to the spending of year-end 2022 surplus money in Erie County, the Poloncarz administration is requesting the Erie County Legislature to approve spending of $511,000 in order to install new Evolv weapons detection systems at the Central Library.
"I think it's a reasonable request based on the patterns of behaviors that happen with the fighting downtown, and things of that nature," said Erie County Legislator Howard Johnson. "I think they are looking to do what's in the best interest of the community at large to keep the community safe, and I think, as far as the Legislature goes, we're going to take a look at this and we're going to take this matter very seriously. We're going to look into this and do our due diligence in reviewing the matter, also keeping in mind there are safety issues in there. I don't think this will be something that will be so combative, I just think that's something we'll take a close look at."
It is expected for spending resolution to be presented and voted upon during the Legislature's next meeting on April 27. Johnson does not believe there will be much hanging up the matter before it is voted upon next Thursday.
John Spears, Director of the Buffalo and Erie County Public Library, knows safety of the public and local community is at the forefront of this implementation of weapons detection systems at the Central Library.
"With the events that have happened at the library and, to be honest, events that have been occurring around the United States, there was discussions with the Sheriff's Office about the steps that they thought we should take, and that would be necessary in order to create a safe environment here as possible," said Spears. "When we saw the system actually in practice, and how unobtrusive it actually was, it assuaged a lot of the fears we had about what it would be like for people visiting the library. In the discussions we had, we really came to the realization there's two times you can get a system like this. You can get this before something happens, or you can get it after something happens. Our real hope is that we would be getting it before something happens, and preventing that from happening."
According to Spears, talks of a new security system like the Evolv weapons detection system were taking place before he arrived on the scene a couple years back. They're also discussions that have been happening in libraries locally and around the country.
"You really don't have a more public space than a library. People can just walk in and walk out, and that's one of the things that, to me, makes the library as special of a place as it is. Anyone in the community can come and utilize the resources," Spears said. "But with that, there is always the risk that some of the people who come might not necessarily be there for the right reason. You've seen incidents around the entire country where if a weapons detection system had been in place, those incidents might not have occurred. So the conversations had kind of just reached the point where the technology had hit a level where we were comfortable pursuing it. I think it's always been something that people think about when they think about safety in a public building like a library, and it's something that we're just ready to move on now."
As for the Evolv weapons detection system, it is the same system that is currently in place at many schools across the Buffalo Public School District.
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Spears says the trial run with the Evolv system at the Central Library went well. He particularly like how people can walk through the detectors and don't have to take out keys, phones or laptops. However, if a weapon is detected, that person is flagged and they'll be pulled aside for supplemental screening.
"There's a couple of systems that have come out in the last few years that are designed to be, what's called, 'non-divesting'," said Jeff Rinaldo, former Buffalo Police Captain and current partner with Vista Security Group. "Traditional walkthrough metal detectors, you have to take every piece of metal out of your pocket. Your cell phones, your belt, your jewelry, your watches, coins, keys, things of that nature. Evolv, as well as OPENGATE and other ones out there are non-divesting, meaning they are designed to look for a very specific threat that somebody might bring in, whether it's a firearm, an explosive or some other type of weapon, and allows for a less intrusive experience to gain entry into a venue."
Rinaldo feels the Evolv weapons detection system will work well for the Central Library, and that having one of these systems in place is a good idea for a public venue such as a library.
"I don't know of any places that you can go now that are open to the public and host large events that you don't go through screening," Rinaldo said. "Whether it's the Bills, the Bisons, the Sabres, theatres, things of that nature, even outdoor concert venues are using this technology now for screening. I think it's just the 2023 reality that we're in that people are looking to ensure that weapons are not getting inside of their buildings, and also helping to deter threats from coming inside."
One of the benefits the Evolv system will bring to the Central Library is its design to be less intrusive, making for a better experience for those looking to spend some time at the library, or any public setting.
"It speeds up the entrancing to a venue so that it doesn't take as long to screen people as they come through," Rinaldo explains. "I think the benefit will be that every single place, whether it's a school or a venue, people have privacy concerns. They want to know people aren't paying attention of the books I'm looking at or what I'm doing online, or things of that nature, people want their privacy and they want it protected. The nice thing about these types of systems is, again, it's less intrusive. I don't have to pull out my EpiPen and everybody knows I have an allergy, or I don't have to expose everything that I have on my person other than if I do happen to have a weapon, or an item on me that's concerning to that venue that they don't wish to have inside the building."
Aside from waiting for the official approval of the Erie County Legislature, Spears says the hope of the library is if everything goes through in a timely fashion, the weapons detection systems will be fully implemented within the next few months.
With the inclusion of the Buffalo Peacemakers, conversations had with the Sheriff's Department on security measures, as well as some changes to the way people enter and exit the facility after 3 o'clock, Spears says there have not been any incidents that were seen six, seven weeks ago at the Central Library.
"It's a place where there's still noise, there's still a lot of teens here, which is what we were hoping. Teens are going to be a bit rambunctious, but we're not seeing the problems that we had that led to bringing in groups like the [Buffalo] Peacemakers, and the changes that you're seeing now," he said. "It's still early in the game, but so far everything has, I would say, met or exceeded our expectations of where we thought we'd be at this point."
Even with the new security measures being implemented in the coming months, Spears says the Buffalo Peacemakers will continue to have a presence in the Central Library. And the purpose of the Peacemakers is not to be a source of security for the library, but to actually serve multiple functions.
"The Peacemakers are one more way of actually engaging with the public that's here in the library. They have been working with the teens, they are going to start hosting some library programs here, as well," Spears said. "We host a program for teens after school every day, but we don't have the staff to necessarily be doing multiple programs. Having the Peacemakers here will be one more opportunity for the students and the teens that are here to have something constructive to do at the library. So we don't necessarily see that relationship ending, and we definitely don't see that relationship as a purely security relationship. That's not the approach that the Peacemakers are taking, either."
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When it comes to other public spaces, Rinaldo believes people will start to see more of these enhanced security and weapons detection systems starting to be implemented.
"I think you're going to definitely be seeing them implemented in bars and nightclubs, things of that nature," he said. "For years on Chippewa, some of the bars have done pat down searches - not extremely effective - they then move to metal detection wands. But now, to get to the best-of-the-best, you're seeing some of these places are purchasing walkthrough weapon detection systems. We're also starting to see a number of our corporate clients investing in this. Whether it's their type of business that they tend to get some unhappy customers that show up, or they just want to ensure that their workplace is completely free of weapons. The circle is getting smaller and smaller of places that are not using this technology, as opposed to places that do."
And with the way certain organizations, businesses and other public services operate their security plans, Rinaldo feels more and more people have started to welcome the enhanced security measures than ever before.
"I think people feel comfortable now seeing uniformed police officers at venues and at events," Rinaldo said. "Rewind 10 years ago, they did not want to see people with rifles outside of the arena or the Bills, for that matter. But now, I think it's a level of comfort to know that they are there to protect you. They're not there to stop you from enjoying your experience. They're there to protect you if, God forbid, the bad actor shows up with ill intent that day."