Courthouse Security Worries Seep into Small Town Oregon Mindset

What happened in Las Vegas just won’t stay there. The early January shooting in one of that city’s courthouses – and other incidents in the past – are sensitizing courtroom workers throughout the country. Taken, for example, Grants Pass, Ore. Concerns about the security of Josephine County’s public buildings were discussed during the board of commissioners’ meeting with legal staff last week. The legal counsel reported that a “troubled” man who recently was released from a state facility has been spending much time at the courthouse. The legal counsel said that once members of the public enter his office’s door, they have immediate and direct access to his staff. The legal counsel asked the commissioners to look into the possible installation of panic buttons in case of an emergency and installation of a keypad for the office door.

Do you have responsibility for courthouse security? Email your comments to zaludreport@bnpmedia.com