Little Rock City Hall replaces visitor check-in system

Disposable photo stickers chosen over paper sign-ins, reusable numbered badges

Little Rock City Hall has switched from a visitor check-in system that involved signing a sheet of paper and receiving a numbered badge to a new electronic kiosk that prints off a wearable sticker badge with a photo.

The city spent $9,840 to purchase and install LobbyGuard, which it started using in April.

"We found a lot of people were walking out with the [old] badges, so I decided this was a more secure system. You have a way to identify where you're going and I always wanted a system in case of an emergency where we can tell who our visitors are and who our employees are," City Manager Bruce Moore said.

Before, visitors to City Hall at 500 W. Markham St. would check in with the security desk at either the front or back entrance by signing a printed log and then grabbing a numbered plastic badge. Visitors were supposed to sign out and return the badges upon exit.

Now, visitors will be asked to present a photo ID, such as a driver's license, which will be scanned. They will also be asked who they are there to see. The LobbyGuard system can then print a disposable sticker badge with the visitor's name and photo.

Kinks are still being worked out, officials said.

For example, photos of visitors haven't been printed on the badges yet. The city is getting stands made for the camera to sit on so it will be at the right height to take a photo. That should be fixed soon, City Clerk Susan Langely said.

Upon leaving City Hall, security guards are supposed to stop visitors and scan their badges on the way out, which will then let the system know that visitor is no longer in the building.

If a visitor leaves through a side exit, their sticker badge is not scanned and the system doesn't log that they have left.

While a photo ID will be asked of every City Hall visitor, those who do not have one will be checked in on a case-by-case basis, Moore said.

If someone does not have a photo ID, an employee from the City Manager's office will be called to the entrance to meet with the visitor. If a homeless person who doesn't have identification is there to meet with the new homeless advocate employee, for example, they will be let in.

Other reasons to visit City Hall include reserving a pavilion in a city park, visiting with the mayor, filling out a job application at Human Resources, or getting information from the Community Programs Department. Members of the media and business officials also often visit the building to meet with city staff members.

Every Tuesday, a Board of Directors meeting takes place at City Hall. The security staff has been instructed to halt the badge system prior to the board meetings since many visitors will be entering at the same time.

Moore said he hopes the new badge system adds security for both employees and visitors to City Hall. The system wasn't placed in any other city buildings.

According to the LobbyGuard website, its system has add-on features that would allow security to run automatic background checks when scanning a visitor's driver's license. Another feature would automatically send a text message or email to a city employee when someone has signed in to visit them.

Moore said Little Rock did not purchase those features.

Moore first saw the visitor management system at the International City/County Management Association headquarters in Washington, D.C.

LobbyGuard's website touts its technology as a way to "balance demand for public access and increased need for security."

Moore said there was no security risk or event that prompted the purchase of LobbyGuard in Little Rock.

Metro on 06/04/2017

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