Surprised

[Janet Harrington]

I find it surprising that not one person has started a thread on the new security methods at the courthouse.  What are your thoughts on this?  I'm not going to give an opinion because I am sure that someone would tell me I was just mad over the election that happened 5 years ago.  LOL

[Varmit]

I think it is a little ridiculous. 

[Varmit]

Question....who was threatened (position, not the persons name)?

[greatguns]

I'm wondering if it might be a little over the top.  Of course we never get any court news out of Elk County anymore.  With that kind of security being put in place, it does make one wonder just what happened to warrant such a move.

[Wilma]

What I heard and this is probably fifth or sixth hand, was that some woman was unhappy with the court and said that she was going to go out and get her gun.  I would say that this was said in anger with no intention of carrying it out, but the people involved know the woman and more about what she would do than I do.

I do think the action is overkill, locking the barn door after the horse is stolen.  IMHO the woman should have been arrested right there for assault, given the appropriate sentence and fine and made to promise never to do such a thing again.

I don't think that locking the public out of a public building is the answer.  Pretty drastic.  How many people are going to get disgusted with having to wait to be identified and allowed to enter the building and decide to just not renew their tags, pay their taxes, record their deeds, appear in court, whatever?  What are our elected officials going to do with their time if the public can't drop in?  I say, punish the perp, not the public.

[Lookatmeknow!!]

They tried something kind of like this at Moline Grade School before.  They looked the doors and you had to buzz to get into the building.  They found out that it didn't work cause if no one was in the office when parents or whoever came to the front door to get in, the parents got a little upset.  It was a good effort but didn't work, cause everytime that I go down there I just walk right into the office and get my business taken care of.

[larryJ]

Here is SoCal, metal detectors are a way of life at all courthouses.  Anyone entering any of the courts are required to empty their pockets and go through the metal detectors.  Some courts allow employees to pass without going through the detectors, some don't.  Some courts require men to remove their belts also.  If you are called for jury duty and are to report at 8 AM, you need to be there a good 30 minutes before that because the line to get in the door is usually pretty long.  And, when you are standing in line, you might be standing next to a person who is there for a court appearance who has committed a crime and is out on bail.  One juror actually got kicked off jury duty because he stood in line next to a person going to trial and overheard the person talking on a cell phone and discussing his involvement in the crime.  When the jury was asked if they knew the defendant, the juror stated that he was in line with the guy and heard the conversation.  Some courts have two lines, one for the general public and one for the jurors which allows the jurors to get in the building a little faster.  Three members of my family are court employees and one is a deputy who works at the entrance to his court.  He told me of one woman who refused to go through the detector because she had been summoned for jury duty and was not there of her own free will and did not feel it necessary to be treated like a common criminal. 

Larryj

[Teresa]

My opinion really doesn't matter..  and everyone make sure that they have their medications taken today cause...  I agree with Janet..  
Do you actually think that locking the doors to a county public  office will keep an angry person at bay? I don't know what happened as I wasn't there and have not even heard too much about it.. But if someone was "really" threatened and it wasn't just a spewing of words. ( everyone knows everyone and the personality types in this small town.) then I would have had the sheriff jerk their mouthy silly asses to the sheriffs office and I would have instilled a little bit of reality to them along with a hefty fine..
Make them think before they got mad and "threatened" anyone again in a public place..
But to in effect " punish  a county of people because of their fear factor is a bit much.

[W. Gray]

I saw a Fed Ex delivery woman at the courthouse door on Friday, looking around in disbelief.


At first I thought she was trying to "get on camera" but then realized that one cannot get into the courthouse at all on Fridays.

[Janet Harrington]

All you have to do is read the Prairie Star to get the information on how to get into the courthouse.  On Friday, if you do not have court business, then you do not get into the courthouse. 

What I can't believe is that we are locking up a building that is paid for and supported by the taxpayers.  However; one other alternative would be to get the metal detectors, lock all but one door and have the public come through that one door.  That will not work though because if the building is open the doors have to be unlocked.  They are not doors that can be locked from the outside, but you can get out from the inside like at the schools.  If you did the metal detectors, then you are looking at more personnel for the sheriff's office and Lord knows he has enough of those. 

I agree with those that have said, "Why wasn't this person arrested, charged and dealt with through our justice system?"  That makes absolutely no sense to me.  Like my Mother said, Shut the barn door after the horse is stolen. 

Elk County has been and still is a reactive county instead of a proactive county.