Attorneys seek security improvements at Grant County Courthouse

EPHRATA — Grant County Bar Association members raised concerns about safety, space and employees with the commissioners.

The court clerk, district court administrator, a district court judge and three attorneys brought their concerns to commissioners.

“What we’ve done in the last couple months, as a bar, we’ve gotten together with judicial offices in the county and we’ve held what we’ve called a bench bar forum,” Grant County Bar Association President Mitch Heaps said. “In these forums, we’ve discussed some of the challenges, some of the issues we’re facing in the county court system at this time.”

Heaps explained the group separated into different committees, and his committee’s goal was to see how the commissioners could assist the court system.

The first issue the group discussed was improving security in the courthouse. Heaps pointed out Grant and Adams counties are the only counties, he works in where people aren’t searched before entering the courthouse.

“Benton County, Chelan County, Spokane County, federal court they always require you to go through a metal detector,” he said. “Even Lincoln County has somebody at the door, the threshold of the courtroom, with a wand.”

He added the county has metal detectors, but they aren’t used regularly.

District Court Judge Janis Whitener-Moberg recommended limiting the courthouse to one entrance where everyone gets screened.

“We had, in Moses Lake, two jurors that got in a fist fight, drew blood and luckily we had an officer there to testify in the trial, who actually had to pull out his Taser and threaten to (stun) them to get them to stop,” she said. “Then … we had two gang members. We had a gang fight in the hall.”

Heaps added they don’t want a tragedy to highlight the need for improving security, saying it could result in lawsuits against the county.

Commissioner Richard Stevens said it isn’t a new discussion, but the county doesn’t have the money to pay for additional security or construction.

“You’re right, there would be some liability, but I don’t believe that we could get a bond issue passed,” he said. “Franklin County did it down there and they spent over $1 million and they hired people to screen and last I heard they were laying people off.”

He added voters wouldn’t approve tax increases to pay for new construction or security personnel. Stevens said other counties have tried to pass a 0.3 percent sales tax increase to pay for law and justice costs and failed.

Attorney Mary Mahaney Otey asked if it was possible to close the other entrances and make the breezeway the only entrance, or staff the metal detectors full time.

Stevens said the county would have to pay for staff to screen people entering the courthouse, something he couldn’t justify when other departments are short staffed.

Otey asked if it was possible to create a coalition of departments to see if they could raise money for the project.

“Unless the problem is made known to everyone and we have a consensus and we can have some kind of multifaceted work team or group to work on it to come up with a proposal nothing will get done,” she said. “Something should be able to be worked out if we have all the right players in place.”

Whitener-Moberg added the county doesn’t have a choice about improving courthouse security and suggested reviving the court security committee.

The commissioners said they would research the committee to find out who was part of it, and restart it.

Commissioner Carolann Swartz pointed out it’s easier to get voters to approve tax increases if they’re presented with a plan.

The group asked if it was possible to make the superior court commissioner a full-time position to cut back on delays in processing cases, Heaps said. The commissioner presently works 3.5 days a week.

Otey explained dependency trials are being scheduled six to nine months in advance.

Heaps added his superior court civil trials are currently being scheduled for the summer of 2011.

“There’s some real practical problems that could be solved if we make that position full-time,” he said.

Stevens and Commissioner Cindy Carter pointed out the court commissioner’s position is completely funded by the county, opposed to judge’s positions which are a combination of state and county funds.

Otey asked about the process to get another judge.

Whitener-Moberg explained the county would contact the state, and they would help with changing the law dictating how many judges each county can have. She said the county would need to find space to house another judge.

Several of the members suggested switching the position, so the commissioner would become a superior court judge.

Swartz pointed out if they decide to start the process of adding a new judge, they should start looking into it now.

The committee also asked about the possibility of more meeting space and creating a clerk’s position to assist judges.