U.S. officials say steel spikes will be added to the White House fence, in an effort to beef up security in the wake of a series of fence jumping security breaches on its grounds.
The proposal was approved by unanimous vote Thursday of the National Capitol Planning Commission, giving the U.S. Secret Service the approval to move ahead with installation.
The steel spikes will measure 18 centimeters tall, with a 1 centimeter steel pencil point at the top, sticking out multiple inches to create an acute angle, and a second layer of spikes with the existing iron picket fence tops.
The move comes after a string of high-profile security breaches at the White House.
In September, a disturbed Army veteran jumped the White House fence, sprinted across the lawn and entered the building with a knife in his pocket.
In April, Secret Service agents arrested an intruder who scaled the fence on the south side of the presidential mansion.
