<div class="chunk-title">Sec. 3-22. - Courthouse security.</div>
<div class="chunk-content">
            <p class="incr0">
               (a)
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content1">
               <span class="ital">Purpose.</span> This article is designed to maintain a safe and contraband-free environment within
               the criminal and civil courtrooms and other areas of the county courthouse. This article
               also provides the guidelines for day-to-day operations throughout the courthouse.
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr0">
               (b)
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content1">
               <span class="ital">Hours of operation.</span>
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr1">
               (1)
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content2">
               <span class="ital">Normal hours of operation.</span> The courthouse will be open from 8:00 a.m. until 5:30 p.m., Mondayâ€”Friday for all
               employees. The courthouse will be open from 8:30 a.m. until 5:00 p.m., Mondayâ€”Friday
               to the general public. The county sheriff's office will provide security for the courthouse
               from 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m., Mondayâ€”Friday except county recognized holidays. This
               schedule will be implemented on or about the 1
               <sup>
                  st
                  </sup>
               day of December 2014.
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr1">
               (2)
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content2">
               <span class="ital">Exceptions to normal hours of operation.</span>
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr2">
               a.
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content3">
               In the event that a court or special hearing must continue to operate beyond normal
               hours, judicial officials, court personnel and court deputies will be on staff to
               work these events. In addition county commission meetings, operations of the 911 center,
               emergency management, community corrections and the emergency operations center will
               be allowed to occur at any time separate and apart from the hours listed above.
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr2">
               b.
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content3">
               Non-court events at the courthouse must have prior approval by the county manager
               or his/her designee.
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr0">
               (c)
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content1">
               <span class="ital">Courthouse security plan.</span> Pursuant to this article, courthouse security personnel shall be responsible for:
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr1">
               (1)
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content2">
               Screening of persons entering the courthouse. This procedure will be accomplished
               in as an efficient and effective manner as possible.
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr1">
               (2)
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content2">
               Walk-through search of secure areas prior to admittance of staff or public.
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr1">
               (3)
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content2">
               Monitoring of public lobbies and exit doors.
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr1">
               (4)
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content2">
               Walking patrols of secure areas and response to areas inside or outside the courthouse
               when and where problems arise.
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr1">
               (5)
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content2">
               Response to activations of panic alarms or door alarms at various locations.
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr1">
               (6)
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content2">
               Walk-through search of areas to make sure building is empty after lockdown.
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr0">
               (d)
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content1">
               <span class="ital">Screening.</span>
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr1">
               (1)
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content2">
               <span class="ital">The screening procedure will be as follows:</span>
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr2">
               a.
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content3">
               Persons entering the courthouse through the public (north) entrance will go through
               the security screening process.
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr2">
               b.
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content3">
               All courthouse personnel may be required to go through the security screening process
               when using the employee entrance located on the ground floor, south side of the building.
               All courthouse personnel are required to wear a picture ID access card at all times
               while inside the courthouse. In addition, handicapped persons may use the employee
               entrance (south side, ground floor). However, they will be subject to a security screening
               prior to admission to the building.
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr2">
               c.
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content3">
               Law enforcement officers who come to the courthouse will check in at a security station
               for identification purposes. Uniformed officers and plain clothes officers unknown
               to security staff must have a standard picture ID card issued by their agency to be
               allowed to enter the courthouse while armed. If there is a need for officers to respond
               to an emergency situation at the courthouse when called upon for assistance, they
               will be passed through the screening point immediately.
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr2">
               d.
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content3">
               Out-of-county officers. Law enforcement officers who are not employed by local department
               or assigned to the county will not be allowed access to secured areas of the courthouse
               unless they are accompanied by a local officer who is properly identified and who
               identifies the out-of-county officer. When this situation occurs, the out-of-county
               officer will be escorted by the local officer who is familiar with the security procedures.
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr1">
               (2)
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content2">
               <span class="ital">Screening steps.</span>
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr2">
               a.
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content3">
               Individuals entering the courthouse will be screened by use of walk-through magnetometers,
               hand-held magnetometers, or other metal detection device.
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr2">
               b.
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content3">
               Individuals who bring items into the courthouse for court purposes must check in at
               the screening station on the first floor where the items will be checked.
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr2">
               c.
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content3">
               A second positive indication by the walk-through magnetometer, other metal detection
               device, will require a search using the hand magnetometer to locate the source of
               the positive indication. The security officer may take the person to the side and
               pat down the individual if it is determined that some suspected object is causing
               the positive indication and there is reasonable suspicion that the individual has
               an object that poses a security risk. Only a female officer may conduct a pat-down
               search of a female.
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr2">
               d.
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content3">
               Packages or handbags shall be closely examined by having the owner open the package
               for inspection. If the officer believes that a suspicious item could be an explosive
               device, he/she should not open the package. He/she will clear the area and contact
               the supervisor.
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr0">
               (e)
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content1">
               <span class="ital">Identification and confiscation of contraband.</span>
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr1">
               (1)
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content2">
               Items such as illegal narcotics, firearms, knives, scissors, carpet or box cutters,
               letter openers or other edged weapons are considered contraband unless it can be shown
               that the person has a legitimate need to possess the item inside the courthouse.
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr1">
               (2)
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content2">
               When individuals are found with contraband, which constitutes a criminal violation,
               the items shall be seized and the person taken into custody or issued a criminal citation,
               depending on the circumstances.
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr1">
               (3)
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content2">
               Individuals found with items that would otherwise be legal to carry, such as small
               pocket knives or pepper spray, will be advised that they must take these items to
               their vehicles, homes of offices. The security officers will not store items for the
               individuals nor accept them as discarded property.
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr0">
               (f)
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content1">
               <span class="ital">Designated areas.</span>
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr1">
               (1)
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content2">
               <span class="ital">Access to restricted areas.</span>
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr2">
               a.
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content3">
               No one is allowed in secured areas of the courthouse unless he is wearing a proper
               ID badge.
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr2">
               b.
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content3">
               Local attorneys, judicial officials and staff, out-of-county attorneys and their employees
               may apply for an ID access card by filling out an application at the sheriff's office.
               One no-fee card will be issued per applicant. There will be a $25.00 fee for a duplicate
               card to replace a lost or stolen card.
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr1">
               (2)
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content2">
               <span class="ital">Smoking areas.</span> The county courthouse is a non-smoking facility.
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr0">
               (g)
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content1">
               <span class="ital">Entry/exit procedures.</span>
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr1">
               (1)
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content2">
               <span class="ital">Exiting the building.</span>
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr2">
               a.
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content3">
               The public exiting the building should use the front entrance doors located on the
               first floor unless an emergency event arises in which case, the public should use
               the closest available exit.
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr2">
               b.
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content3">
               Under no circumstances should anyone open one of the emergency exit doors or the employee
               entrance door to allow a person to enter or exit the courthouse except during an actual
               emergency. Any person allowing use of, or using an emergency exit or the employee
               entrance for ingress or digress of the courthouse during non-emergency condition,
               shall be deemed in violation of this article and shall be subject to the penalties
               outlined in subsection (h).
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr0">
               (h)
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content1">
               <span class="ital">Penalties.</span> Violations of this article shall be punishable as a misdemeanor as provided by law.
               In addition, any violations of this article may result in revocation of an individual's
               ID access card by the sheriff or his/her designee.
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr0">
               (i)
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content1">
               <span class="ital">Security committee.</span> The county board of commissioners hereby appoints the chief district court judge,
               resident superior court judge, the district attorney, the sheriff of the county, the
               clerk of superior court, and local bar president or their designee(s) to enforce this
               article and to suggest future amendments.
               </p>
            		
            <p class="historynote0">
               (Ord. of 11-17-2014(1), Â§Â§ Iâ€”IX; Ord. of 1-5-2015(1), Â§Â§ Iâ€”IX)
               </p></div>