ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) — Winnebago County board members addressed security concerns during a Thursday evening committee meeting. Their focus: the county administrative building.

There is a wide range of improvements they want to make, which includes everything from better protection for windows to more guards on staff.

They said it is needed so that the building is ready for any potential situation.

“Anyone walking along the streets can look in and see the back operations room of what’s happening,” said committee member John Butitta.

The Operations & Administrative Committee passed a resolution to upgrade security measures for the building.

“The fire in the courthouse, and we’ve had some homeless people in the elevators here and wandering the halls and really impacting everybody’s safety in the building,” said Keith McDonald, committee chairman. “Between that and the treasurer’s office and the clerk’s office, they sometimes handle large sums of money, so we want to make sure to put them in a position to be safe.”

One of the main enhancements will be the addition of better window protections. The $33,000 in upgrades will make it harder to see inside of the building and offer better protection from severe weather, weapons, graffiti and other possible threats.

“Surrounding mostly the county clerk’s office on the first level provides some security film enhancement on the windows,” said Winnebago County Administrator Patrick J. Thompson.

“What we’re seeing now, a lot of with active shooters is the way they’re entering buildings. Lots of buildings is shooting up windows, so they just shoot the window up and enter that way,” added Winnebago County Chief Deputy Rick Ciganek. “So, if this film stops the window from shattering, we may not stop the bullet go through. But if it stops, you know, a window from shattering and some people make entry.”

Another form of security would be guards at the front of the building. The committee said that this should cost around $140,000 per year for staffing. The goal is to have county sheriff’s deputies on duty.

“Main entrance facility to officers and also provides for screening,” Thompson said. “Metal detector saw screening at the front entrance.”

The resolution now moves to the full county board, which is expect to happen next Thursday.