Security Changes a Year After Discovery Crisis

In the aftermath of the 2010 Discovery hostage crisis, Discovery Communications made substantial changes to the way it approaches safety and security—a move that held it apart from many other downtown businesses.

Immediately after Sept. 1, Discovery Communications shut down its . The company also hired consultants to assess and develop security amendments for the property. 

After the Montgomery County Planning Board approved the amendment proposal in February 2011, the property underwent major changes. . Also, a secured door from inside the building was installed in the playground area. Visitors and employees now are required to enter through separate entrances.

But a couple of major businesses have not made changes as drastic as Discovery did.

—the management company for about 150 businesses in the downtown area—hasn't made any building changes or adopted a new policy, Events Manager Lillian Buie said.

That is the same situation at , a major management and development company, located on Georgia Avenue.

“We don’t have an official written policy about it. When [the Discovery crisis] occurred, we sent out an email blast to everyone in the building,” said Lisa Oestereich, property manager for Lee Development. 

The Lee building has dealt with similar alerts before, Oestereich explained. The courthouse used to be next door to the building, and the bomb threats there would affect the Lee building.

The Lee Development Group does have a fire evacuation policy, but a situation like the Discovery crisis is different because it’s about people management, she said.

“It’s much easier when you are trying to keep people in than out,” she said.

Since last year, police presence in the area has increased, but Commander Donald Johnson—who oversees the Third District, which encompasses downtown—doesn’t attribute those changes to the hostage situation.

Since 2007, Silver Spring's District 3 has had the highest crime rate of all the police districts in the county. A recent, high-profile incident spurred police officials and Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett (D) to .

were recently added to the downtown area after additional funding for the police department was approved in the county .

“It’s just a better way of policing—with the increase of people because of the Veterans Plaza, nightlife, the Fillmore opening and the [Paul S.] Starbanes [Transit] Center,” Johnson said.

Bike patrols allow officers to move in and out of tight spaces, which is helpful downtown where pedestrians are plentiful, he explained.

This story has been corrected. An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated the prevalence of crime in Silver Spring since 2007. We regret the error.