All Rights Reserved - CJES, LLC

COURT SECURITY CONCERNS

Malcolm Franklin Senior Manager, Office of Security, Judicial Council

of California - AOC

Lawrence Lujan Honorable Chief Judge,

Ysleta Del Sur Pueblo Tribal Court

Steven K. Swensen Director, Center for

Judicial and Executive Security (CJES)

Courtroom Securityin

Indian Country

Lawrence LujanJudge Ysleta del Sur Pueblo

“It’s not a question of whether there is going to

be a major and serious security incident in our

courthouse; the question is when will it happen?”

Ramsey County Sheriff, Bob Fletcher

All Rights Reserved - CJES, LLCDavid Arroyo Shooting

Purpose

• To limit and reduce the exposure of risk to the personnel, facilities, property, and resources under the courts jurisdiction.

• To apply best practices to the court room and court facilities in which we work.

Vicarious Liability

• The responsibility of the superior for the acts of their subordinate.

• When we fail to adequately train all of our staff we become responsible for their failures when they respond.

Who’s Job Is It?

• Bailiff?• Tribal Police?• Court secretary or administrator?• Tribal Judge?• Local, state, federal government?

• Identifying and reporting of security violations, discrepancies, threats, breaches and or life safety incidents is every employee’s responsibility.

• Creating the Security Policy• Judge, Head Bailiff, Chief of Police• Coordinate, create MOU’s with

support agencies (local law enforcement, state police, BIA police)

Staff Education/Training

Plan

Studies

• Staffs lack training in courtroom security-Judges, Court Administrators and Court staff in general.

• Where training has been provided it is not continual.

• Training needs to be documented and should demonstrate gained knowledge and skills.

Bailiff

• Use of force to include lethal force• PPCT or similar • Taser or similar • Tactical Cuffing• Use of magnetometer and wands• K-9 ?

Who is your bailiff? Do you have one?

• Bailiff and Activist

Court Staff Training

• How to respond to violence• Violence drills• How not to be a victim• Identifying suspicious packages• Basic self-defense

Threat Management Plan

What Should it Cover

• Internal/External Security• Employee training-Court staff and Bailiff• Transportation procedures• Bomb threats• Threats to staff• Threats to data • Should be codified in a manual

Threat Management

• Judge, and Court Staff mitigate dangers by being observant and vigilant.

• Involve Tribal Police• Take all threats seriously!!• Monitor, assess, investigate and

prosecute all threats!

Site Security Plan

Interior

• Office• Chamber• Common Area

Interior

• Alarms• Gun Lockers• Id Cards• Card Access• PA system• Sign in log

• Keys and Locking Devices• Alarm User Codes• Critical door identification• Floor plans

Exterior

• Cameras

• Lighting

• Restricted Areas

• Alarms on doors

• Designated parking for staff

• Bullet resistant glass.

• Barriers to prohibit forcible vehicle entry.

• Sally-Port for officers.

• Maintain grounds to prevent suspect hide-outs.

Prisoners in the Court Room

• One Plus Doctrine for Bailiffs• Pre-screen threat level of defendants

when possible.• Pre-screen threat level of the victim and

their family.• ‘Cuffed or un-cuffed?• In front of or behind a table/barricade?

Alternatives to Prisoners in the Court

• Separate “lock-down” room with video and audio.

• Video warnings and arraignments.

Emergency Action Plan

Emergencies

• Shootings• Medical emergencies• Bombs, explosions and bomb threats• Hostage situations

• Escapes• Assaults• Natural Disasters• Civil Disturbances• Violence in or out of courtroom

Violence in the Courtroom plan

• The judge should know to evacuate the chambers and it should be part of the immediate response plan.

• Let the bailiff handle it? Alone?• Get involved?• Code word announced.• Support immediately requested• Lock-down until resolved

The Plan

• Policy – write it down.• Floor Plans-know them, make available to

any responding agency.• Practice, Practice, Practice

Bomb Threat Plan

• Phone Call• Suspicious Package• Involve Tribal PD• Evacuate?

Lock Down Plan

Lock-Down Plan

• Situations where safety requires all doors to be locked and all public and staff to remain in place.

• Code Blue? You choose• Needs to be practiced and

coordinated with Tribal Police

Data Security Plan

Data Security Plan• Backup and recovery of court records in

the event of fire, flood, or other disaster.• Protection from internal/external

subversive acts.

Success

• Staff Awareness• Plan• Train• Make policy• Remain vigilant and observant

http://www.superiorcourt.maricopa.gov/CourtSecurity/docs/CourtPhySecPlan.pdfhttp://www.9-11summit.org/materials9-11/911/acrobat/26/C6NewThreats/MinnesotaCtSecurityManual.pdfhttp://www.sheriffs.org/userfiles/file/fs000165.pdfhttp://www.cmitonline.org/event/eventlookup.php?id=17http://www.sheriffs.org/userfiles/file/fs000165.pdfhttp://courts.michigan.gov/scao/resources/standards/cs_stds.pdf