Clallam County administrator says contracted guards in courthouse predate recent tensions; commission members press for transparency

Clallam County Administrator Todd Milke told the Charter Review Commission the county has used a private security contractor for about two years to provide courthouse security when correction officers are short, and that the current contract with Security Services Northwest requires guards "anytime the building is open to the public." Milke said recent events prompted a policy review but did not reflect a new, commission-directed hire.

Why it matters: several commissioners and members of the public said they learned about heightened security through emails and posts rather than an open meeting, raising questions about transparency and whether the executive committee acted beyond its authority.

Milke said the county’s use of contracted guards is not new. "Our contract states…