146 ANNUAL REPORT 2014 U. MUNICIPAL AND REGIONAL AUTHORITIES 2014-2. THE USE OF SPECIAL EXIT DOOR OPENERS AT RESIDENTIAL FACILITY FOR PEOPLE WITH DEMENTIA In continuation of a monitoring visit at a residential facility for, among others, people with dementia, the Ombudsman opened a case about the use of special door openers. The residential facility had started using special door openers in relation to a female resident in order to prevent her from leaving the facility, thereby exposing herself or others to danger. The Ombudsman could not criticise the assessment that there was a need for special door openers for the woman’s protection. However, he thought it a matter for severe criticism that the door openers were in use for a period of time in which no decision had been made about this in relation to the woman. Furthermore, the Ombudsman criticised that nobody had been informed of the decision. In his opinion, the woman’s spouse ought to have been informed of the decision. The Ombudsman also said that the facility as well as the municipality ought to have observed the rules on, i.a., registration and reporting of and follow-up on the use of force which the door opener practice constituted. The Ombudsman decided to inform the local social supervisory authority about the case. 2014-5. NO GROUNDS FOR DENYING CITIZEN ACCESS TO MUNICIPAL OFFICES In August 2010, a municipality decided that a citizen was not allowed to show up in person at the municipal offices. The reason for this was an incident where the citizen had behaved in a threatening manner towards the municipality staff. He had also committed vandalism by kicking a book case. In March 2012, he contacted the municipality again, and the municipality extended the ban against the man showing up in person to six months. The municipality found that he violated the ban by showing up yet again in September 2012. Therefore, the municipality banned him again from showing up in person. As grounds for the ban, the municipality subsequently also referred to staff safety.