Government Security

It is comforting to know the state is taking a proactive stance regarding the security of its venues. I wish the federal government would get on board. I had an appointment this week at the huge Sitting Duck Building in Westwood (locally known as the Federal Building) and was appalled at my ease of entry.

There is no supervision of the visitors’ drive-in entrance or parking. An empty police car (may have been private security) was parked at the foot of the stairs to the entrance. I passed swiftly through an airport-type scanning setup, manned by civilians. No call for verification was made to the person who was expecting me, nor was my identification requested. When I left, two flak-jacketed FBI fellows were in another part of the lobby, but my host had been informed that their presence was temporary. My host and his colleagues were shaking in their boots. Me too.

L.L. Bova

Beverly Hills