by 
Copper Area News
If it takes a little longer to gain entrance to the Gila County Courthouse in Globe, it is part of an effort to improve security of the facility and ensure the safety of visitors. In fact there should be little inconvenience unless carrying into the building inappropriate items from firearms to drug paraphernalia.
“Sadly in the times we live, even rural communities like those in Gila County are not immune to threats from criminals and disturbed individuals. Life-threatening incidents involving firearms and other weapons inside of court buildings is no longer a worry just in big cities,” said Jacque Griffin, Gila County assistant manager.
“To assure that such threats don’t lead to an unhappy reality in Gila County, we have taken steps to assure the safety of people visiting our court facilities,” she added.
Although no security incidents have yet occurred, Presiding Gila County Superior Court Judge Peter J. Cahill and County Manager Don E. McDaniel Jr. decided to not wait. Meeting in January 2011 to discuss security issues for court facilities in Globe and Payson, they decided to appoint a nine member task force comprised of employees from the court, sheriff, public works, recorder and treasurer’s departments and the county risk manager to consider what needed to be done.
After meeting for six months, the task force issued its first set of recommendations for consideration by the Gila County Board of Supervisors. The board promptly adopted these recommendations and budgeted funds so they could be phased in on a periodic basis. As of this month, most of the measures have been implemented with a few to be completed in 2015.
As a result of recommendations of the security committee, Gila County has hired five additional courthouse security officers. All security officers have been given special training on how to handle situations where one of more gunman are terrorized an area by firing at people randomly.
New equipment purchases include 13 closed circuit TV cameras for monitoring the grounds in and around the courthouses, video recording equipment, and four 17-inch flat-screen monitors for viewing the security footage live and for checking past events.
A secure entrance to the Globe courthouse has been established. The public now enters through only one entrance with metal detectors and lockers for the public to secure their personal property.
New tools for security officers to help detect potentially harmful metal objects on people entering the courthouses include two wands that officers can run pass entrants, and a magnetometer. So officers can keep in touch and alert other officers about security breaches, four new two-way radios were acquired; along with four tasers could use to bring under control people threatening security inside the courthouses.
Miscellaneous purchases include speakers for fire alarms and signage directing people to security checkpoints.
Since putting the equipment into use, there has been an increase in the number of potential weapons seized from people entering the Gila County Courthouse.
According to county records, in an average month, security personnel will seize nearly 100 knives. According to Griffin, most of these are utility-type knives that people in rural Arizona might carry like jackknifes, penknives and Swiss Army knives that can still be considered a weapon. Security personnel catalog these tools for return to the person when they exit the building.
Also during an average month, security people seize about five guns, which the owners much leave for pickup after their judicial business is completed.
Less frequently security personnel have seized four box cutters, three wire cutters, assorted screwdrivers and scissors, five sets of handcuff keys, several cans of pepper spray, some syringes and a marijuana pipe. Not all of these items are returned.
Similar measures are also being implemented in Payson although they have not been completed yet pending an ongoing refurbishing of the overall court facility.
Other measures to be implemented in the near future in both Globe and Payson include improved security related to vehicular traffic and access, particularly related to prisoner transport to and from the court facilities, Griffin explained.
Total cost of the security improvements is $226,550, according to county records.
James J. Hodl is a career journalist who has worked for newspapers, magazines and trade journals. A graduate of Southern Illinois University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Journalism, Hodl began his career as a reporter with the Palatine (IL) Herald and the Morton Grove (IL) Review before becoming editor of the trade publication Appliance Service News. In recent years, Hodl has had articles published in Consumers Digest, Good Housekeeping, Home Remodeling, Kitchens & Baths and Salute; and has contributed to trade publications serving the home furnishings, restaurant and casino markets. A native of Chicago, Hodl relocated to San Tan Valley in 2013.
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