Beefed Up Security Measures At Southampton Town Hall

SOUTHAMPTON, NY — Visitors to Southampton Town Hall will now see amped up security measures.

Beginning on May 1, anyone doing business in Southampton Town Hall will be required to register at a new security checkpoint in the main lobby. Registration will require a government issued photo ID; visitor identification will be scanned and a dated visitor’s pass will be issued, town officials said.

“This new security checkpoint comes at a time when our country has experienced a number of violent incidents in schools and other workplaces,” said Southampton Town Supervisor Jay Schneiderman. “There has been no threat against Town Hall, but we must do our part to keep both the public and our employees safe.”

Acceptable government issued photo IDs include a driver's license or photo ID card issued by a federal, state or local government agencies or entity, that contains a photo, and/or information such as name, address, date of birth, gender, height and eye color.

Also accepted will be a school ID card with photograph; a United States passport, unexpired or expired; an unexpired foreign passport with a temporary I-551 stamp; a permanent resident card or alien registration receipt card, or Form I-551; an unexpired employment authorization document that contains a photograph (Form I-766, I-688, I-688A, I-688B); or an unexpired foreign passport with an unexpired arrival/departure record, Form 194, bearing the same name as the passport and containing an endorsement of the individual’s nonimmigrant status, if that status authorizes the individual to work for an employer, a release from the town said.

“Most, if not all, government buildings as well as our school buildings have all implemented a similar level of building access security,” said Southampton Town Code Compliance and Emergency Management Administrator Steven Troyd. “The safety of the public and our employees is paramount."

Security checkpoint procedures will be operational throughout the day beginning at 8 a.m. when Town Hall is open to the public, officials said.

Patch file photo.