Unarmed security officer subdues man who smashed windows with ax
READING, PA Sept 14 2018
A Reading man was taken into custody Thursday morning after he used an ax to smash a window in the lobby of the Berks County Services Center before storming into the building, where he was subdued by an unarmed security guard, officials said.
The incident occurred shortly before 8 a.m.
Reading police Capt. Andrew Winters said that Alberto Jaquez Valdez, 44, became angry when he was told he would not be allowed to enter the services center before it opened to the public at 8 a.m.
“It appears he was having some mental health issues and cooperated with a security guard after calming down,” Winters said. “We reached out to mental health providers and they are going to work with him to get him some help.”
Valdez was charged Thursday night with institutional vandalism and disorderly conduct. He was awaiting arraignment before District Judge Sandra L. Fegley at Reading Central Court.
While no one was injured in the incident, commissioners Chairman Christian Y. Leinbach said that the event illustrated to him the need to have armed guards positioned in the services center and courthouse.
“We are living on borrowed time,” he said. “We have people coming and going to court. We have people coming and going to domestic relations. We have people coming and going to probation. We got people with some real challenges going on, and I think we need to step up and address this with armed security.”
Leinbach, who said he plans to discuss the issue with his colleagues, would support having at least one armed deputy sheriff posted in the lobbies of both buildings.
Unarmed security guards are stationed in the lobbies, and visitors are required to pass through metal detectors and pass their belongings through X-ray machines. Firearms, knives, scissors and mace are prohibited in the building.
Sheriff Eric J. Weaknecht said that last year he proposed having at least one armed security guard or deputy at the entrances to the buildings.
There were two proposals for consideration for the county budget: maintaining the existing private security contractor but upgrading service to include an armed security officer at the entrances, or having an armed deputy supporting the unarmed security guards at those entrances.
Only Leinbach was in favor of moving ahead with gathering cost estimates to compare the options.
“I think the county should be a little more proactive rather than reactive,” Weaknecht said. “Every time a situation like this comes up, people want to discuss it.”
Reading Eagle
