Missoula City Council to possibly see more security over chamber safety concerns

As Missoula City Council mulls revising public comment rules, some councilors want more security at public meetings amid concerns over safety in council chambers.

Feedback from city staff, the public and a handful of elected officials has council leadership considering bolstered security at City Council meetings, according to Council President and Ward 3 Representative Gwen Jones.

“Based on recent trends, council leadership and the administration continue to work on safety plans and security to ensure this,” Jones wrote in an email. “Unfortunately we are going in the direction of adding more security instead of lessening it, based on input from staff and the public as well as elected (officials).”

Jones said some on council want more police officers in the chamber. Currently, one to two uniformed police or Black Knight security guards (a private security company contracted by the city) rotate through at Monday night general meetings. They also ask people coming into council chambers if they have any weapons on them.

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