Police tighten security around Capitol

With Homeland Security raised to the orange threat level, Lt. R. J. Goodloe of the Capitol Police said the main threat to Richmond would come in the form of “sleeper cells” possibly already in the United States.

“Sleeper cells” consist of terrorists in the United States who carry out an act of terror when given the signal by their leader. Media reports predict that the war with Iraq could trigger “sleeper cells” into activity.

No plan existed Wednesday night to raise the security threat from orange to red, the highest level, Goodloe said. If the threat level reaches red, he said government officials would have “specific information on a target” that would authorize the closure of streets and emergency response to “whatever the situation warrants.”

When the threat level rose Monday from yellow to orange, Capitol Police guarding the Virginia Capitol and surrounding buildings increased in number and in vigilance.

“We’re essentially at level orange plus. This is a higher level of level orange — it’s close to red,” said Goodloe, who emphasized it is “higher than it was last time” when the national Homeland Security Department raised the level to orange.

Capitol Police at the guardhouse near the entrance to the Capitol lawn on Wednesday evening checked cars entering the street, using cones on the pavement to guide cars to parking spaces distant from that building.

Even with all of the extra militia present, citizens working at the Capitol and nearby buildings said they felt safe working in that area.

Ron Hamilton, who works at the nearby Department of Agriculture, said he has noticed an increase in the number of Capitol Police officers, but he continues to feel safe while at work.

Jay Braxton, a procurement and logistics manager for the House of Delegates, also works in the Capitol. Braxton said he, too, has observed an increase in security after President George Bush, and then Gov. Mark Warner, raised the threat level to orange.

“We’ve seen an increased presence with Capitol Police, (plus more) restrictions getting into the buildings, the Capitol and the General Assembly Building,” Braxton said. “They’ve closed off Governor Street to cars and regular traffic.”

Three separate barriers stand in front of Governor Street, which Goodloe said is vital for the safety of the governor because of its proximity to the Governor’s Mansion. Goodloe said the street comes within “20 feet from the back door” of the mansion.

Moreover, pedestrians can see a police car with its engine running on Governor Street. An officer sits inside the car situated about 100 feet south of Broad Street blocking access to the Governor’s Mansion. The vehicle faces the Broad Street entrance, and the Governor’s Mansion can clearly be seen behind it.

Also, Capitol Police patrolling Capitol Square are not bashful about following people walking around the area.

In an e-mail, the governor’s office via Paul Timmreck, senior vice president for finance and administration at the university, asked VCU and VCU Medical Center students and employees to report “suspicious activity, people, packages or vehicles” to the local police department. Students and employees should call 828-1234 to contact the police when they observe anything suspicious.

Only two blocks from the Capitol, MCVH faces potential danger if terrorism hits the seat of Virginia’s government. The VCU Academic Campus, just 15 blocks west of the Capitol, also confronts possible damage should an attack occur. Other VCU properties near the vicinity of the Capitol, such as its Adcenter and the Virginia Biotechnology Research Park, also could face possible damage.

On the Academic Campus, many VCU students seemed more concerned Wednesday with the Middle East activities than with any possible threat reaching Richmond.

While some officials consider the threat of terror in Richmond closely associated with the guarded Capitol or the concrete-barricaded Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, Goodloe said, “Any government building is a potential target.”