Visitors to Monday night’s full Warren County Commission meeting were treated to a trip through a full-sized metal detector.
When the meeting started at 6:30 p.m. and various committee chairs offered reports for the month, Commissioner Carl E. Bouldin stated, “The Building and Grounds Committee has nothing really to report, other than the purchase of a metal detector. I’m pleased to see it’s installed and working.” 
During July’s full county meeting, visitors were searched with a hand-held metal detector manned by sheriff’s deputies. The search was at the request of Warren County Executive Herschel Wells. Committee members met in early August and approved the expenditure of $3,698 to purchase a walk-through scanner that included a $150 hand-held wand.
At that time, Bouldin stated the item was just the beginning to increase security for the building.
“We’ve got some people in this building who are worried,” said Bouldin. “They would like to have some security in this building. We have to start somewhere. This is just one of the things we have to have. This is just the beginning.”
Consideration will be given in the future to:
1) locking all side and rear doors so they can only be used for exiting the building, requiring everyone to enter through the main entrance.
2) switching to a keyless entry and card reader system for county commissioners and building employees.
3) adding security personnel during business hours.
“It’s a different world in which we live,” said Bouldin.
Initially, the full-sized metal detector will be used only during full Warren County Commission meetings on the third Monday of each month at 6:30 p.m. and during special events when it is determined the device might be needed.