Loudoun County is implementing security screening for visitors to three of its facilities over the next few weeks, including the Government Center and Shenandoah Office Building in Leesburg and the Eastern Loudoun Service Center in Sterling.
The security screening is the next step in the county’s enforcement of a new section of Chapter 684 of the Codified Ordinances of Loudoun County adopted by the Board of Supervisors in March 2021, which generally prohibits firearms and ammunition inside county facilities. Member of the public who visit county buildings are encouraged to review the list of prohibited items at loudoun.gov/securityscreening, which highlights other types of weapons that are also not permitted inside county facilities.
Members of the public visiting the three buildings where the screening equipment is installed will be directed to pass through the designated security lane at each building. The screening equipment will be operated by contracted security personnel in uniform. The process is touchless; no one will need to empty their pockets or remove their purse, briefcase or backpack. The system is safe for use with medical devices and is wheelchair accessible. The system is designed to detect weapons and alert the security guards who will be at each station.
The start of security screening at each of the three impacted buildings is currently planned to occur on a staggered schedule:
- October 27, 2021, Government Center (1 Harrison Street SE, Leesburg): Visitors to the Government Center will be required to pass through the security screening, which will be located at the main entrance on the courtyard side of the building, opposite the Government Center’s parking garage. Members of the public will be able to access the self-serve drop-off area, the information desk and the Qless virtual line kiosk prior to going through security.
- November 10, 2021, Eastern Loudoun Service Center (21641 Ridgetop Circle, Sterling): Visitors to the Eastern Loudoun Service Center will be required to pass through the security screening, which will be located at the main entrance that faces Ridgetop Circle. The main entrance will become the only public entryway; the doors on the opposite site of the building near the rear parking lot will be no longer a public entrance.
- November 17, 2021, Shenandoah Building (102 Heritage Way NE, Leesburg): Visitors to the Shenandoah Building will be required to pass through the security screening, which will be located at the main entrance at the front of the building. The main entrance will become the only public entryway; all other doorways, including to the Crisis Intervention Team Assessment Center at the rear of the building, will no longer be a public entrance.
The security screening will be conducted during each building’s regular operational hours. This generally includes business hours and evenings when the building remains open to the public past regular business hours, such as during Board of Supervisors meetings.
More information about the prohibition of firearms and ammunition in Loudoun County government facilities is online at loudoun.gov/firearmsordinance.
To learn more about the county’s programs and services available at each of the impacted facilities visit loudoun.gov/service and loudoun.gov/departments.
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