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Council considers metal detectors and staffed entry for county government building; parking and staffing complicate options
Summary
Wicomico County administration briefed council members on options to add metal detectors and staffed entry to the county government building. Major issues include parking access for people with disabilities, staffing the entry points and whether to use retired courthouse bailiffs or sworn deputies.
County administration presented options March 18 for enhanced security at the government office building, including adding metal detectors and restricting the employee rear entrance, but council members and staff said parking, accessibility and staffing needs must be resolved before a final plan.
The administration discussed funneling public entry to one detector at the front door and equipping the back entrance with a camera and controlled access for employees. Major parking concerns were raised because the handicap-accessible lot is adjacent to the rear entrance; closing the rear door to the public could impede visitors with limited mobility unless the plan included a controlled-access exception.
Staff discussed staffing models. The courthouse uses retired correctional officers ("white shirts") supervised by sworn deputies; the county noted that model could be an option because it provides trained personnel at relatively lower cost than full sworn staffing. The council asked whether the city—co-owner of part of the building—would share costs and whether grant funding might be available. The state's attorney and sheriff's office representatives attended and described the tradeoffs between one or two staffed entry points and the difficulty of maintaining staffing seven days a week if detectors were operated continuously.
The county also discussed lower-cost alternatives such as a single on-site officer (similar to a school resource officer), camera-monitored entrances with an officer on call, or using retiree/court-staff detail for peak meeting times. The state's attorney said modern incidents nationwide show an increased risk of irrational or violent behavior and supported measures that improve staff safety.
No final decision was made; administration said it would study options, consult the city regarding cost-sharing, check grants and return with proposals that addressed parking, ADA access and staffing. The council said a budget discussion would be necessary if elected members decide to implement detectors and staffed entrances.
