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Wednesday, November 15, 2006
Ind. Courts - Harrison County Courthouse lacks overall security, some say
The Corydon Democrat reports today, in a story by Tonya Windell:
An unauthorized after-hours visit recently by a county employee may be the least of security concerns when it comes to the Harrison County Court House.Some believe the current security systems in place are so inadequate more serious incidents could occur.
Harrison County Circuit Court Judge H. Lloyd (Tad) Whitis said he is concerned with people entering the courthouse after hours who possibly shouldn't be there.
"We have a lot of court records and court documents that we don't want tampered with," Whitis said last week.
The incident involving an unauthorized entry into the courthouse happened Nov. 1. Indiana State Police declined to comment on whether it was being investigated.
However, Whitis is concerned with a great deal more than someone's unauthorized entry, and that is the overall security of the courthouse.
Whitis said the circuit court, which is housed in the courthouse, deals with a large number of juvenile and divorce cases.
"We have people who get emotional, that get pretty violent," he said.
Whitis said research shows more violence occurs in domestic court than in other courts, and there have been incidences here in the past. Whitis recalled an incident when a 12-year-old boy wrestled two police officers to the floor when he became angry and violent. "If you saw the volatility in people — to me this is a no-brainer — you would take care of the security in this courthouse," Whitis said.
Liz Day, chief probation officer, agreed with Whitis.
"We're on guard all the time," she said.
Whitis said he does not feel the existing security system is adequate and said he has asked the Harrison County Board of Commissioners at least three times to look into security issues.
Whitis said he gave the commissioners the results and recommendations of an independent courthouse security survey and assessment conducted by the Indiana Judicial Center.
The Circuit Court has a metal detector that can be placed at the entry to the third-floor courtroom but there's no corrections officer to staff it. Also, there is a protective paneling behind the judge's bench.
Whitis said the metal detector blocked his view of the hallway so he had it removed from in front of the door.
"It was actually more of a hindrance," he said. Whitis said also his office has never received training on any of the security items that are in place.
Harrison County Auditor Pat Wolfe said she feels safe within the building but believes the courthouse could use more security.
That's because, she said, "We do not know what people carry into this building."
Wolfe said she was concerned with people getting upset and possibly violent in the courthouse on the third floor, just a floor above where the public goes to pay their property taxes and to visit the auditor's or clerk's office.
The courthouse currently has two security systems in place. The first was installed during the recent renovation and uses a phone line to call for help.
J.R. Eckart, commissioner chair, said it was his understanding the system is fully installed and working, but it still needs to be programmed.
"They just have not assigned who would be called," he said.
A second system, installed by the Indiana Justice Center, transmits over the Harrison County Sheriff's Dept. radio frequency.
Whitis said the Harrison County Sheriff's Dept. and the Corydon Police Dept. have been quick to respond when they have used the system.
But Sheriff Mike Deatrick said there are flaws with both systems.
"I didn't like the system when it was put in," he said. "It's very weak."
Deatrick said the courthouse needs a system that rings directly into 911.
Deatrick said a major problem with the security system which uses a radio frequency is that officers who are already using the radio sometimes do not hear the call come in. He said the call could even be missed by the dispatcher if he or she at the time was taking another call or using the radio.
"Unless they are familiar with it and know what it is, no one has a clue," he said.
A test of the system on Monday showed that not all officers heard the call over the radio even though the call was heard by Deatrick and the dispatcher.
Deatrick said he expressed his concerns about the courthouse two years ago.
"I have more concerns about the downtown courthouse than I do here," he said, speaking at the justice center.
Deatrick said incidents at the Harrison County Justice Center are more predictable than those at the courthouse.
"You never know what will happen when there is children involved," he said. "I know we have a lot of people that come through here, but they've got more problems."
Deatrick said the courthouse could be totally secured by closing all doors except one and putting a metal detector at that door along with a guard.
"It's not really that big of an expense," he said. Records show a corrections officer would cost less than $27,000 a year including pay and benefits.
The justice center has a metal detector and guard at the front door as well as Harrison County police officers who are entering and leaving the building 24 hours a day. Plans to purchase and install security planter boxes or blockades in front of the judical center to prevent people from driving into it are also under consideration.
The commissioners said Monday they do not see the need to "harden" the courthouse to the degree of stationing a corrections officer.
"I don't want to turn it into an armed camp," Eckart said. "There's always a risk."
Eckart said the commissioners have reviewed security in the building many times.
The last time security was reviewed was during the courthouse renovations by Performance Services, a group subcontracted by RQAW, the Indianapolis engineering firm that oversaw the planning of the justice center and courthouse renovations.
"Right now we're still following their advice," Eckart said.
Posted by Marcia Oddi on November 15, 2006 10:14 AM
Posted to Indiana Courts