The Georgia State Capitol is one of the key buildings in the state. It is known not only for its historical but also its cultural heritage, as it was one of the critical locations for the protests that took place in 2020. Over the past couple of years, the government has beefed up the security of the Georgia State Capitol by spending more than $5 million (Dunlap, 2022). Regardless of the thoughts the protesters carried and the ways in which they were stopped, the building may have suffered damage and injury, losing its original look and spirit of the era.
This money mainly went to install new security cameras. They will not guarantee the security of the cultural site, but they will be able to identify criminals in the future, which significantly reduces the investigation time not only for crimes related to the Georgia State Capitol. In addition, a fence was also installed around the entire building. This was done to prevent undesirable persons from entering not only the building itself but also the grounds, which will also reduce the risk of offenses (Alive, 2021).
These measures greatly affect the presence of the police in the area, because they do not need to be in the vicinity all the time. In addition, this step will also help secure the infrastructure, as the fence can deter offenders from entering the important facility. Even small offenses will be recorded by CCTV cameras or security guards, who are instantly able to call law enforcement officials.
Although these measures are correct from a security point of view, they do not fully guarantee security. It is also important to allocate funds for an additional number of security guards who can protect the cultural heritage without legal action. The point is not about serious crimes but more minor offenses (Grisales, 2022). In addition, it could also accelerate the work of the police, who would be able to respond more quickly to calls made by the guards. While one can be sure that these funds were spent on the right thing, the methods for which they were assigned are not fully necessary or rational.
References
Alive. (2021). New cameras enhance Georgia State Capitol security. Web.
Dunlap, S. (2022). State Capitol grounds ringed by foreboding steel fence spurred by 2020 protests. Georgia Public Broadcasting. Web.
Grisales, C. (2022). A year after the Capitol riot, work remains to prevent another attack. Georgia Public Broadcasting. Web.