County staff outline courthouse security upgrades including panic-button reroute and clerk’s office partition

County staff told commissioners they are taking several security steps in the courthouse after recent incidents, including rerouting panic-button dispatch to city and county responders and adding a glass partition and a solid counter at the clerk's office.

“Temporary, they moved the radio with the security guard. And I'm gonna try and get on radio frequency. So it'd be the same thing, the panic button come up here and will be dispatched to city and county,” county staff member Mister Lobo said. Lobo told commissioners the change was made after the county moved the panic-button control in several locations and one had been switched to the jail’s control.

Lobo also said the clerk’s office will receive a heavy glass partition with multiple customer stations and a solid counter that eliminates the hinged door under the current counter. “So Right. They won't be able to get in that way,” he said, adding the change is being made to be proactive following an incident in which a “gentleman got kind of deranged.”

No formal vote was taken; staff presented the updates as operational steps the county will carry out. Commissioners asked questions and expressed support for proactive safety improvements.

Ending: Staff said they will continue to coordinate with security and will bring any necessary contracts or purchase orders back to the commission if required.