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FORSYTH COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE |
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Sheriff Seeks to Upgrade Security for County Courthouse |
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April 07, 2005 Published with permission of the Forsyth County News A fenced-in parking lot at the rear of the Forsyth County Courthouse is one of more than a dozen suggestions for bolstering security proposed by Sheriff Ted Paxton in the wake of the murder of a judge and two others at the Fulton County Courthouse. The Fulton County case has caused every sheriff's office in the state to re-examine its court security, Paxton said. And while the Sheriff says he feels confident that the existing staffing, procedures and policies at the courthouse are adequate, there are several facility-related issues that need addressing, he said. "We don't want to be too specific, for obvious reasons," Paxton said. The Sheriff sent out a letter recently to county commissioners, the county administrator's office and court officials outlining 16 specific changes he would like to see at the courthouse. The changes, which don't have a firm price tag yet, would come out of the county's facilities budget. Near the top of the list is a chain-link fence and gate to enclose the rear parking area of the courthouse facing Castleberry Road. The area has long been a security concern, Paxton said, because it is where prisoners are brought in for court appearances. Unlike some courthouses, there is no sally port for prisoner transports. "Even though we do have them shackled, they're still in an unconfined area," Paxton said. "You don't know who could just walk up." Fencing could also provide an added measure of security for judges who park at the rear of the building, Paxton said. The Sheriff was quick to note he doesn't intend for the courthouse to end up resembling Alcatraz. "I don't know that what we want to create what looks like a compound at the courthouse," Paxton said. "Hopefully, we could do something that's functional but also aesthetically acceptable." Other suggestions outlined in the Sheriff's letter:
The Sheriff has not yet received a response to the letter, which was sent out March 24. He said he would like to see several of the changes, if approved, go into place by the end of April. Efforts to reach County Administrator Jeff Quesenberry and County Commission Chairman Jack Conway for comment were unsuccessful. Already a few changes have been put in place since the Fulton County shooting. Attorneys can no longer use a security badge to bypass the main entrance metal detectors. "That's absolutely no reflection on the local bar, it's just something we've got to do," Paxton said. Soon high-risk inmates -- those identified as posing a threat of violent outbursts -- will be outfitted with "stun belts" that can administer an electrical shock to the mid-section via a deputy's remote control. The belts have been used by some Georgia counties for several years. The Sheriff's Office is also in line for an audit of its courthouse by the U.S. Marshall's Service, which last performed the service for Forsyth County in 1989. Forsyth County requested the audit prior to the Fulton County shooting, Paxton said. Paxton says the Sheriff's Office has to stay on top of courthouse security issues, even if there's been no known major incidents in recent years. Inmates, he says, have nothing but time on their hands to plot escapes. "These guys who are in jail, all they do is watch and learn," Paxton said.
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