By Tammy Gray Visitors to the Navajo County Governmental Complex in Holbrook will notice changes to security procedures. All members of the public will use a single entrance and pass through a metal detector prior to visiting any departments in the main building. The new public access point is located at the former superior court entrance. The old cramped entrance has been enlarged to accommodate additional foot traffic, and signs have been placed throughout the building to direct visitors to the correct department. A walkway leading to the old public entrance near the county recorder’s office has been blocked off with a planter to force foot traffic toward the main entrance near the Superior Court. Visitors may exit the building through the doors near the recorder’s office. County Manager Jimmy Jayne explained that the changes address security concerns at the complex with minimal cost to taxpayers, since security officers have long been in place at the Superior Court entrance. “We are leveraging existing security personnel,” he said. “There was a small expenditure in remodeling, but no additional expenditures in personnel.” Jayne noted that the changes have been several years in the making and are intended to protect county staff members, as well as members of the public who are visiting the building. “The issue of the security of the Holbrook complex originally surfaced several years ago from some employees and elected officials. We’ve spent the last couple of years discussing options that are in the best public interest,” Jayne said. “We want to respect public access to a public building while keeping the security concerns of some of our employees in mind.” The solution to the dilemma of securing a building with multiple offices and entrances without increasing costs was to utilize the existing security system of the Superior Court and direct all visitors through security. “We worked with the Superior Court to retrofit the court entrance,” Jayne noted. “We opened it up so that it’s more accessible.” The need for security at the complex was demonstrated when a member of The Tribune-News staff, at the complex to attend a meeting, witnessed security officers at the newly remodeled entrance prevent a small sword concealed in a walking cane from being taken into the building.