Pennsylvania’s Governor’s Mansion Attack - Can His Security be This Bad?

Cody Balmer charged in fire at Pennsylvania governor’s home - The Washington Post

Could the security at the Pennsylvania governor’s mansion really be this bad? It doesn’t look like much, if any, focus was placed on basic security fundamentals in planning and maintaining the site’s security infrastructure, layout, programs, or operations. Were recommendations ignored?

I looked at the site's satellite overhead and “drove around” it via Google Earth. It is not that large, about 3.25 acres, and has a well-defined external perimeter with clear lines of sight.  

However, perimeter fence heights are not constant—some look like they may be only four feet high. Inside the perimeter, lines of sight appear limited and obscured, providing ample opportunities for concealment—right up to the main house. Obviously, the threat paths were never addressed or updated, and whatever procedures and infrastructure are used to detect or interrupt threats are inadequate and ineffective.  

And then we have unlaminated windows on the ground floor….

It is unbelievable that this guy was able to get on the site and do what he did, apparently undetected or at least uninterrupted. Could his security detail be this incompetent, or were they rendered incompetent by influences outside their control? He is a state governor, and there are a lot of crackpots out there, especially lone wolf types who are unknown and can appear out of nowhere.

Interestingly, according to PennLive, the courtyard underwent some upgrades in 2022 to make Pennsylvania’s chief executive’s taxpayer-provided home more visible, environmentally friendly, and accessible for people with mobility issues—all worthy goals.

Can an iconic site have visibility and accessibility with good security? – Absolutely. But it’s hard when your security team does not, or isn’t allowed to, follow the fundamentals, isn’t up to date on the solutions, and can only think its terms or more primal security solutions.