Medford Awarded Grant For Security Training In Public Buildings

MEDFORD, MA – The city of Medford will use a $25,000 grant from the Executive Office for Administration and Finance to train employees at the Council on Aging, Medford Public Library and City Hall in responding to dangerous situations, Mayor Stephanie M. Burke said. The funding will also be used for security assessments at public buildings.

In a statement Sunday, Burke said the fatal stabbing of a 22-year-old woman at a public library in nearby Winchester over the weekend "emphasizes the need to review and strengthen security measures for all public buildings." Though she did not mention the McGlynn gun magazine incident directly, Burke said city officials' "top priority" are the children, teachers and staff at its schools.

"Within that dialogue, public officials must undertake a review of the many other buildings that are frequented by the public such as the Library and City Hall," Burke said. "There is clearly an increasing need to implement security measures that strike an appropriate balance between the need for citizens to utilize these buildings freely and their safety and the safety of the employees who serve them."

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