The worst thing that can happen in a courthouse is for a criminal to get a loaded gun. This could be life threatening to witnesses, jurors, attorneys, employees, and, of course, us judges.
Courthouse Security
Our deputies go to extreme measures to make certain that nightmare never happens. The Orange County Sheriff’s Department does an outstanding job of keeping our courthouse people safe and secure.
Building Perimeter and Parking Lot
First, before the courthouse opens, the deputies do a security sweep of the perimeter of the building and the public parking lot. They are looking primarily for weapons and explosives. They often find drugs and paraphernalia.
Sheriff’s Cars and Judges Parking Lot
Second, the sheriff’s cars are parked in the judges’ secured parking area behind the building overnight, where they cannot be tampered with. Before judges arrive, the deputies do a security sweep of the secured judges parking lot.
Weapons Screening
Third, when the courthouse opens, the public, including attorneys, must go through an airport style screening.
Some attorneys have complained because when they have removed their belts, their pants dropped to the ground in front of their clients. However, a lot of knives can be concealed in belts and buckles.
The Courtrooms
Fourth, before my courtroom doors are opened, my bailiff does a security sweep of the courtroom. He looks through trash cans, and behind any objects that could hide a weapon or contraband. He uses a mirror on a dowel to scan beneath the chairs and above the cabinets. My bailiff is very thorough. Our lives are potentially at risk.
Prisoner Escorts
Fifth, throughout the day, whenever our bailiffs escort prisoners, the bailiffs lock their guns in a locker. A prisoner getting a gun in the courthouse would be a nightmare. Our deputies can handle a fight, which may result in injuries, but a shootout could end in deaths.
The Loose Loaded Gun
One day, a juror rush into my courtroom and told my bailiff that there was a gun in the men’s room. Sure enough, there was a loaded .40 caliber semi-automatic on the back of the toilet in one of the stalls.
Luckily, it was a law-abiding citizen who discovered the gun and alerted my bailiff. Otherwise, it could have turned into a tragedy.
Our sheriffs launched a very intense quick investigation. They soon discovered that the gun belonged to a local police lieutenant.
The officer came court in a suit. His gun was in a waistband belt holster. When he went to the bathroom, he removed his gun from his holster and set it on the back of the toilet. When he got up, he forgot his gun.
Some plain clothes or off duty officers in that situation, put the gun in their pants pocket or somewhere in the pants so that there is no chance of them forgetting.
The lieutenant got into a heap of trouble. Not only did he get reprimanded by our sheriffs, but he also got disciplined by his department.
You can’t leave a loaded gun lying around, especially in a courthouse. It was a little mistake, but the potential consequences could have been fatal.
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