State Hiring 10 to Staff Capitol Security Entrances

Ten people are being hired to staff two new security entrances to the state Capitol.

The Charleston Gazette-Mail reports that the Division of Protective Services will initially hire five Capitol Police officers at $30,000 a year each and five part-time screeners at $15 an hour. That was part of the initial proposal to have one public entrance open year-round and another open only during legislative sessions.

The plan has been revised to keep both entrances open year-round. Lawrence Messina of the Department of Public Safety and Military Affairs says that means the part-time screeners eventually will be replaced with, or promoted to, full-time officers.

The new security measures begin Friday. Messina says the annual cost of operating the security entrances will be $732,000.