Courthouses in 83 counties will become safer soon with the additions of new security equipment to be purchased with $2 million appropriated by the Tennessee General Assembly.
“As you may be aware, the Supreme Court requested, and the governor included, $2 million in the court system’s budget for Fiscal Year 2007-08 to enhance courtroom security across the state,” Administrative Director of the Courts Elizabeth Sykes wrote to presiding judges and county officials, inviting them to apply for grants. “The Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) believes the safety of our courtrooms to be a critical issue and should be a top priority.”
Counties in need of stepped up security for their courthouses will receive money for the items they listed, Sykes said. The AOC has sent letters to legislators and local officials notifying them of the amount their counties will receive, based on what they requested.
“There were a few counties in which security needs had already been met, so they did not ask for a share of the limited funds available,” Sykes said. “We appreciate that they did not submit requests, which left more for those with serious security needs.”
In addition to providing funds for equipment, a portion of the $2 million will be used for training courthouse security personnel. The training will be coordinated by the AOC and conducted in East, Middle and West Tennessee.
Requested equipment included panic buttons, handheld metal detectors, bulletproof benches, walk through magnetometers, x-ray machines, camera and surveillance systems, Tazer guns and bulletproof vests.
Chancellor George Ellis of Trenton, chairman of the Tennessee Judicial Conference Security Committee, said courthouse violence, especially involving the use of guns, has made security a necessary priority.
"The Security Committee of the Tennessee Judicial Conference believes that one of the most critical responsibilities judges have is to ensure that our courtrooms are safe for everyone who enters them, including defendants, litigants, attorneys, jurors, witnesses and court personnel,” Ellis said. “The committee is gratified that Governor Bredesen and the Tennessee General Assembly have recognized this need by providing funds enabling counties to purchase equipment and provide training to help us achieve the goal of having safe and secure courthouses across the state.”
A state law that took effect in 2006 also provided money for court security by increasing the cost of continuance fees from $5 to $7. The additional $2 collected for every court continuance remains in the counties where it is collected and must be used for courthouse security.
With concern about security increasing, the Judicial Conference and General Sessions Judges Conference adopted minimum courthouse security standards calling for equipment and training aimed at making courts safe.
“The cost and installation of such standards and procedures is more than offset by the security and protection it offers against bodily injury, loss of life and destruction of property,” members of the conferences wrote in a preface to the minimum standards. Click here to see the list of grants.