HomeMy WebLinkAbout022023 TESTIMONY (part 2): Hearing re Courthouse Security Standards
jeffbocc
From:Tom Thiersch <tprosys@gmail.com>
Sent:Monday, February 20, 2023 2:48 PM
To:jeffbocc
Subject:TESTIMONY (part 2): Hearing re Courthouse Security Standards
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Commissioners,
The following changes should be made to the proposed “Courthouse Security” ordinance prior to adoption:
Section 3. Weapons Prohibited in the Jefferson County Courthouse. Weapons are prohibited within the
interior of the entire courthouse building \[add: with the following exceptions\]:
That blanket statement must be amended to include some common-sense provisions:
1. Sheriff deputies who guard the entrance and conduct the screening / wanding shall be armed.
2. Sheriff deputies who serve in the courtrooms shall be armed.
Further, it should be made clear that all other people, including but not limited to all judges, all attorneys, and
all law enforcement officers (whether on or off duty) regardless of county, city, state, or federal affiliation, will
be required to store their weapons in the weapons lockers provided for that purpose.
Section 5. Security Screening Required.
(3) Exceptions to Security Screening
The number of exceptions needs to be reduced substantially.
Over 26% of all workplace shootings / assaults happen at the hands of other employees. So, failing to protect
employees from their fellow employees is unacceptable. The expression “going postal” exists for a very good
reason!
So, the “exceptions” list should be revised:
a. Employees or volunteers of Jefferson County, who present or wear a county-issued picture ID;
b. Judges (including court commissioners, pro tem judges, and visiting judges), who present or wear a
county-issued picture ID;
c. On-duty law enforcement officers (including corrections personnel, probation officers, parole officers,
etc.), who are in uniform or who present valid, department issued picture ID proving their commission);
d. On-duty First Responders (such as firefighters and ambulance crews), who are in uniform;
e. On-duty Military who are coming to court pursuant to their official duties, who present their military
picture ID and orders showing they are on official duties;
f. Off-Duty Law Enforcement Officers who present a valid, department-issued picture ID proving their
commission;
g. Licensed attorneys who present a bar card proving admission to the State Bar of Washington, along
with a matching picture ID issued by a government agency (driver's license, passport, etc.);
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h. Inmates in the custody of Jefferson County jail staff or Washington Department of Corrections staff;
and,
i. Juveniles who are in the custody of a juvenile probation officer.
WHY:
Employees: See above re workplace violence.
Judges: They should be happy to spend the extra few seconds it takes; they should be grateful that the safety
measures are for their protection (and are being implemented as mandated by a Court Rule).
Attorneys: Same as judges, whether their presence is because of their involvement in a current case (on either
side) or for any other reason. They have no need to carry a gun if the courthouse is presumed to be safe
because of this ordinance.
Military: Unless there is a military regulation requiring such persons to be armed at all times, why are they not
screened and prohibited from carrying weapons into the courthouse?
Off-duty (anyone): These are just ordinary people for the purposes of screening; it’s far too easy to show a fake
badge. Why do they need to carry a gun?
Please consider these recommendations seriously before enacting this ordinance.
Thank you,
Tom Thiersch
Jefferson County, WA
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