DATE: November 1, 2005
CONTACT: Laura
Kiernan
Judicial Branch
Communications Office
603-271-2646 ext 359
SUPREME COURT
COMMITTEE RELEASES SECURITY REPORT
CONCORD---A New Hampshire Supreme Court
committee has recommended that immediate steps be taken to improve security at
courthouses statewide, including installation of “duress alarms” for court
security officers, improved camera
surveillance and greater use of video arraignments to cut down on security risks
and costs in transporting prisoners.
The 22-member committee said
that court security decision making should be centralized under the authority of
the Court Accreditation Commission, which by law oversees operation and expenses
of court facilities. Currently security coverage for 11 Superior Court locations
is supplied by the county sheriffs’ departments. Security for all district
courts, and for two probate courts is provided by Judicial Branch Court Security
Officers, under the direction of the Administrative Office of the Courts.
The committee also proposed that the state legislature consider a new law
that would make it a criminal offense to threaten or harm certain public
officials, including judges, marital masters and court employees.
For the long term, the committee recommended that the AOC create a
capital improvement plan based on security recommendations proposed by the
judicial branch administrative judges and that work begin with the Governor and legislature to obtain funding for needed changes.
The “N.H. Supreme Court Committee on Court Security” was established
by the Supreme Court in March 2005 to assess security needs and propose
improvements. The committee was chaired by Associate Supreme Court Justice
Richard E. Galway and Earl M. Sweeney, the former director of N.H. Police
Standards and Training who is now assistant commissioner of the Department of
Safety.
In its report, the committee also recommended that full-time professional
security officers should be responsible for court security throughout the state.
Right now, there are 14 fulltime and 121 part-time court security officers
working in the 40 court locations around the state as part of the security staff
directed by the AOC. Most bailiffs assigned by the sheriff’s to Superior Court
locations are part-time employees.
The committee also recommended system wide standardization of criteria
for weapons training and physical abilities for security officers. The
committee suggested that the state Police Standards and Training Council develop
and administer such a program for all court security personnel, with the
approval of the Supreme Court.
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