Secret Service plans to stop White House fence jumpers with a 14-foot barrier
- 8 years ago
WASHINGTON — White House security plans proposed by the Secret Service include a 14-foot barrier nearly twice the height of the current fence.
The iron pickets on the planned fence are expected to be thicker, twice as high as those on the current fence, and spaced closer together.
Sensors would be fitted to the back of the pickets’ sharp finials at 30-foot intervals, according to the plan proposed last month and published on the National Park Service website. The Secret Service also told planning commissions that the new fence would include anti-climb and anti-blast features.
In light of the recent stream of “jumpers” that have attempted to break into the compound at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, the Secret Service hopes this fence will keep intruders out. Fence jumping at the White House has become a regular occurrence, with two people climbing over the barrier last month and one jumper the day after Thanksgiving last year, according to the New York Times.
However, critics of the new fence believe a balance must be struck between security, historical preservation and the spirit of democracy. The Secret Service must now seek approval from two federal boards for its plan, the New York Times reported.
The plan will be reviewed this summer and planners expect construction of the fence to begin in 2018, according to the Washington Post.
The iron pickets on the planned fence are expected to be thicker, twice as high as those on the current fence, and spaced closer together.
Sensors would be fitted to the back of the pickets’ sharp finials at 30-foot intervals, according to the plan proposed last month and published on the National Park Service website. The Secret Service also told planning commissions that the new fence would include anti-climb and anti-blast features.
In light of the recent stream of “jumpers” that have attempted to break into the compound at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, the Secret Service hopes this fence will keep intruders out. Fence jumping at the White House has become a regular occurrence, with two people climbing over the barrier last month and one jumper the day after Thanksgiving last year, according to the New York Times.
However, critics of the new fence believe a balance must be struck between security, historical preservation and the spirit of democracy. The Secret Service must now seek approval from two federal boards for its plan, the New York Times reported.
The plan will be reviewed this summer and planners expect construction of the fence to begin in 2018, according to the Washington Post.