JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – We're getting a closer look at how Jacksonville is guarding itself against attacks as the US continues to beef up security at more than 9,500 federal buildings nationwide.
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson said the measures are precautionary as threats from terrorist organizations about attacks on the homeland continue.
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We've learned that security changes to federal buildings locally are indeed taking place, including the Charles Bennet Federal Building. New metal detectors were just installed Thursday morning and even employees who already have a security clearance, are required to be scanned before entering.
"Anytime you can keep your guards up, that's a good thing, but when you put them down and they infiltrate you, that's when you say we should have been doing it in the first place," said Jarbis Guthrie.
Guthrie is always concerned about terrorists attacks and said he thinks it's a good idea that federal buildings nationwide are adding more security.
This comes after two attacks last week on Canada's government and continued threats from terrorist groups to the US homeland. Local attorney Howard Grossman said our federal buildings can never have too much security.
"I think what we're dealing with is that these are targets, these are the facilities that the terrorists want to show if we can attack these we can attack anywhere," said Grossman.
Employees who work at Federal agencies like the FBI and Federal courthouse declined to talk about any additional security measure. But the call for heightened vigilance from the Director of Homeland security said the precautionary steps are necessary at more than 9,500 government buildings. Guthrie said you can never be too careful because an attack can happen anywhere.
"Never in a million years would you think it would happen in Florida, but it could happen in Satsuma Florida, you never know because their reach is long and wide," said Guthrie.
Homeland security officials said there is no new intelligence suggesting that US government buildings face additional threats, again this is just a precautionary measure.