The Associated Press | Posted: Sunday, August 31, 2008 12:00 am
CHEYENNE - Overall security in Wyoming courthouses is poor, a U.S. marshal told a commission studying the issue.
"The security is lacking," James "Tony" Rose, marshal for the district of Wyoming, said with a tone of understatement.
The Legislature has created the Wyoming Court Security Commission under the supervision of the state Supreme Court. It met for the first time recently.
Rose told the commission that marshals have done an assessment on courts around the state and presented them to sheriff's departments. He would only present the results in a secret session.
"I feel real uncomfortable in an open session" discussing the vulnerabilities, he said.
Wyoming Chief Justice Barton Voigt said he's sure the initial studies on courthouse security are "frightening."
"We recognize that there are a lot of problems facing this group," Voigt said. "It's not just the guy with the gun."
Courthouses face many types of security problems that could lead to deaths and lawsuits, he said.
The court security commission has 10 members representing law enforcement, the judiciary, attorneys and lawmakers. The commission is to establish standards and make recommendations for security for courts and courthouses throughout the state as well as recommendations to the Legislature for legislation and funding.
Rose said judges are often the most resistant because they want to have contact with the people. The first thing that needs to be done in all counties, officials said, is to establish local committees of people with an interest in courthouse security so they can see the need and find credible solutions.
The commission is to issue a report and recommendations by September 2009.