Metal security gates now officially illegal

As of today, it’s officially illegal to have roll-down metal security gates protecting storefronts in New York City. According to the Daily News, the new law, which was passed by the City Council in 2009 and went into effect today, gives business owners with solid metal gates until 2026 to replace them with gates that are at least 70 percent see-through. Though some small business owners have complained about the cost of the new gates, which they also say are less secure, the intent is to allow law enforcement officials to see inside locked-up stores should they ever respond to a call late at night. “When the police or firefighters roll up to a place at 2 a.m. to respond to a call, they’ll be able to know right away whether a cat set off the alarm or whether there’s a guy in there with a machine gun,” said Peter Vallone, chair of the City Council’s Public Safety Committee. The law was originally proposed in 1996 by Anthony Weiner. Vallone is, ironically, now seen as a possible candidate to fill Weiner’s seat in the House of Representatives following the congressman’s Twitpic scandal. [NYDN]