Navigating City Hall Is No Walk in the Park

I recently moved to Los Angeles from San Francisco and visited City Hall, looking forward to visiting my councilman’s office. Unfortunately, a “police state” mentality made the visit a big disappointment. I took the Metro to the Civic Center and approached the building’s grand front entrance. There I was told that only city employees and not regular citizens could use that entrance. Common transit-riding folk have to awkwardly schlep around to the back of the building. Passing through the metal detector, my belt buckle sounded the alarm. I was waved through without any further type of search.

Then I, like all visitors, was required to show a driver’s license and write down my name and destination in the building. Finally, I was branded with a visitor’s badge. All of this in a building that was built as a temple to democracy. The sign-in and ID procedures are an affront to civil liberties. I’m sure some people find them outright intimidating. And no, post-Sept. 11 security hysteria is not a good excuse.

Once residents clear the metal detector they should be able to conduct city business as they need to without signing in with the police. City halls throughout America were built to serve people who need help from their local governments. San Francisco’s, for example, was specifically designed as a “palace for the people.” The intrusive security system at City Hall obviously serves its employees well. Maybe it can be reconfigured and rethought to meet the needs of the people who use and pay for it.

Dave Monks

Los Angeles