The Sioux Falls City council is considering beefing up security at its weekly meetings following a few incidents recently where council members say they felt threatened by an angry citizens. They're looking at adding a metal detector. 

"I had a couple of incidents that weren't out right threats, but the folks put those thoughts in my mind," said councilman Bob Litz. 

Litz likes the idea of a metal detector, especially after an angry citizen confronted him after a meeting. 

"He was reaching in his coat and it gave me quite a startle a few things raced through my mind. It wound up he was going for his cell phone," said Litz. 

But Litz says there have been other threats, emails and angry letters. 

"From where I sit I'm comfortable with the measures we have in place at the Carnegie Town Hall today, but I would never want to speak for any other council members and their comfort level," said councilman Vernon Brown. 

"If you were to go to a metal detector in this building you'd have to look at the logistics, the additional man power it would take, the amount of room it would take to have the equipment in place," said Mike Hall 

Hall is in charge of security at the city chambers. He says there's a security plan in place that's reviewed annually, but says if council members feel threatened, they'll revisit the plan.

Besides adding a metal detector, the city council is also looking at retro fitting something that would go behind their desks to make them bullet resistant.
A plain clothes officer attends every meeting, but some wonder if a metal detector is the next step. 

"Airports, courthouses and many public venues, metal detectors are there. Are we to that point in Sioux Falls at the city council? I would say today no, but the second you say that you never know what can go wrong," said Brown. 

The city council will get a look at several options and their costs, including metal detectors and bullet proof shields at their December 1st meeting.