There are fewer ways for visitors to enter the Minnesota State Capitol now that new security measures were put in place Aug. 6, according to the Minnesota State Patrol.
Two entrances with a total of four doors, all on the south side of the Capitol building, will be open to the public during regular business hours, the agency said in a news release. There will also be an increased security presence in those areas.
“These updated security measures reflect our responsibility and commitment to protecting everyone who works at or visits the Capitol while keeping the building open and accessible to all," said Minnesota Department of Public Safety Commissioner Bob Jacobson. "We remain committed to continuously reviewing and improving security protocols.”
Related: Minnesota State Patrol will hire third-party expert to assess Capitol security
In late July, the Minnesota State Patrol announced plans to hire a third-party expert to evaluate the security of the Minnesota State Capitol complex.
That move, along with the new security measures, comes after the June 14 killings of state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, and shootings of state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette. Vance Boelter, 57, is facing federal and state charges in the case.
The agency is also conducting a review following a separate incident involving a person arrested July 25 after an alarm system alerted security that someone was in the Capitol after hours.
What entrances are still open to the public at the Minnesota State Capitol?
The new security measures include two public entrances:
The main south entrance at the top of the Capitol steps through the far-left, or west, set of two doors.
The ground-level accessible entrance beneath the Capitol steps through the middle set of two doors.
Regular business hours remain 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, the Minnesota State Patrol said. The Capitol building is closed to the public on Sunday.
The entrance from the Minnesota Senate Building parking ramp to the Capitol is restricted to key card holders, the agency said. Any visitors who require accessible parking in the ramp will need to request a Capitol Security escort to enter the Capitol building through the tunnel by calling dispatch.
This article originally appeared on St. Cloud Times: New security measures in place at Minnesota Capitol: What to know
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