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Tuesday, June 05, 2007

Ind. Courts - Wells County closer to securing Courthouse

Rebecca S. Green of the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette reports today:

BLUFFTON – More than 10 years after Wells County officials discussed tightening security at the county Courthouse, they revisited the issue Monday, coming closer to installing metal detectors and other security devices.

With a vote of 2-1, the Wells County commissioners passed a resolution on to the County Council asking the council to support the findings of a Courthouse security committee.

Created in 1995, the committee was formed to look into providing security for the four-story building – which has eight exterior doors that are always opened.

But nothing much has happened with the committee since 1995, and the issues have not gone away, Superior Judge Everett Goshorn said.

In recent years, county employees have been threatened on rare occasions, including once with a gun, Goshorn said.

A new security committee was established in February, made up of county government officials, judicial officials and local security experts. The group heard reports from vendors regarding ways to secure the building, and how much it will cost. * * *

Among the committee’s recommendations was that the commissioners focus on the eight doors to the building, including the commissioners’ room.

The plan would be to install an X-ray scanner and metal detectors inside a ground-floor door, a 24-hour video surveillance system and assign two deputies to Courthouse security, at a cost of about $47,460 to be included in the 2008 budget, Goshorn said. * * *

Mossburg said he agreed the Courthouse needs security but said he wants the county to take a smaller step in between the “panic buttons” currently installed in county offices and closing most of the doors to the building.

“I think we’re going above and beyond the next step,” he said.

Here is a list including some earlier ILB entries on courthouse security and discussions of the availability of $50,000 Homeland Security grants.

Posted by Marcia Oddi on June 5, 2007 08:57 AM
Posted to Indiana Courts