Sally port

The primary modern meaning for sally port is a small controlled space with two doors. Essentially, one must enter the space and close the first door before opening the second to proceed, rather like an airlock.

Etymology

The etymology of the term sally port: the word sally is derived from the Old French saillie, from saillir "to surge forward", ultimately from Latin salire "to leap". The word "port" is ultimately from Latin portus for door.

Historical usage

A sally port is a small, easily secured door in a castle wall or other fortification. During a siege, defending raiding parties would "sally forth" or "sortie" from these ports and attack the besiegers. These raids would attempt to slow the offensive siege process. Targets for these raids included tools which could be captured and used by the defenders, labour-intensive works such as trenches and mines, and siege engines and siege towers. Sometimes enemy labourers were also targeted. Often the term postern is used synonymously.

Modern usage

Modern personnel sally ports are used to control entry into highly protected and restricted military areas, i.e. nuclear weapons storage areas, highly sensitive (and large) conventional weapons storage areas, i.e. small arms, munitions, etc. Also, sally ports are used to control entry to highly valuable civilian facilities such as currency or credit card manufacturing sites. A guard in a protected room will often control the middle space between gates checking credentials of anyone wanting to pass through the second door. Sally ports are also used to restrict the flow of people to one at a time so that intruders cannot pass into the classified or secure area on a cleared person's coattails.

Military vehicular sally ports are similar to the personnel sally ports but have, of physical necessity, a large middle space to control the incoming/outgoing vehicle and personnel mounted in the vehicle. Mounted personnel are made to stand down and the vehicles are inspected by guard(s) a la (former) East German (DDR) Border Guards with mirrors on wheels and magnetic field detectors.

If the person or vehicle in the middle space is found to be unauthorized, the guard can "lock down" both gates trapping the individual in question until a guard or police response force can neutralize and remove the person and/or vehicle.

A sally port appears on the Coat of Arms of the Republic of Malta

In the modern court building a sally port secures the prisoners in a holding area or brings then directly from the jail area separating them from the court with entry through the sally port controlled by the bailiff.

In "supermax" correctional facilities, groups of inmate cells may be connected to central corridors via sally ports. An officer behind protective glass opens the port doors individually after verifying that the person is allowed to pass.

Source

• Continuing Education Program - Royal City of Eoforwic

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