The region is responding to two incidents involving firearms in the premises of its headquarters in the Zlín skyscraper. The first case occurred on July 28, 2022. A twenty-nine-year-old man entered the building, took the elevator to the 14th floor, where the transportation department is located, and shot his ex-girlfriend, who worked there as a clerk, in one of the offices. Then he turned the weapon against himself and committed suicide. He died of his injuries a few days later.
The second incident occurred two years later, on August 26, 2024. On the twelfth floor of a skyscraper, a middle-aged man attempted suicide by shooting himself with a legally held weapon.
The governor of the Zlín region Radim Holiš (ANO) announced immediately after the second case that the office would not wait for anything and would introduce technical measures that would make it physically impossible to bring a weapon into the building. It turned out that the standard guard at the entrance cannot detect a knife or a gun hidden under clothes or in a bag in such a huge flow of people without technical support.
Up to 1,500 people pass through the skyscraper, in which the regional office and the tax office are located, on average, about nine hundred people. The region had already partially decided to increase their safety in the previous two years. All people inside the building wear a tag, the color of which determines whether they are employees or visitors. The camera system is improved. The entrance door to the workplace of the regional office is locked, only employees with a chip card have access to the offices. There are announcement devices and cameras at the door.
More discreet frames
Even so, the Zlín region has now decided on a more significant measure, which is a system of detection columns. Considering the number of people visiting the office, he chose more discreet than classic airport frames. “However, even these can immediately alert security to the presence of a dangerous metal object,” said office spokeswoman Soňa Ličková.
“We are concerned with increasing the protection of employees and visitors of the regional and tax office. In addition, the building is a monument, so locals and tourists come to see it. The installation of detection devices was recommended by expert security analyses,” said director of the regional office Jitka Hlavačková, adding that the device has been in trial operation since February.
According to security consultant Martin Božek, the device is designed to detect weapons, explosives and other dangerous objects. Frames can react positively to, for example, electronics or umbrellas, which must therefore be placed in a prepared box before passing through, where they will be checked by an operator.
According to her, the purchase of the device, its installation, setup and operator training came to 1.5 million crowns. In addition, the region hired two workers who will take care of the operation of the facility. New entrance to the vestibule will be from the west, i.e. from the direction of Otrokovice. “It leaves the building from the eastern side towards our parking lot,” said Hlavačková.
Photo: Aleš Fuksa, Fairpress
