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Greenlee County approves posting for chief security officer to start courthouse security program
Summary
After a multi‑year review and a failed courthouse security evaluation, Superior Court Judge Jerry Ford urged the board to create a chief security officer to design screening and monitoring; the board voted to post the position now and hire in the next fiscal year, and staff will include related capital requests in the budget.
Superior Court Judge Jerry Jeremy Ford presented a multiyear plan to add courthouse security after a recent evaluation found the county lacked full screening and monitoring at judicial facilities. Ford told the board the plan would begin with screened entry at the courthouse, monitoring and response at the annex, and a county‑level chief security officer to build policy, hire staff and oversee training.
"We would have screening at the courthouse and monitoring and response here," Ford said, describing options he and staff observed on county site visits. He noted equipment estimates — for example, X‑ray machines used in other small counties can cost roughly $50,000 — and emphasized the Arizona Judicial Branch’s training and statutory protections for certified court security officers under ARS 12‑2‑99.1.
Ford said the county’s proposed approach favors placing certified court security officers under the judicial branch because of the training and immunities available through the Arizona Office of the Courts. He urged the board to authorize posting for a chief security officer now so that person can help write policies, oversee procurements and start staffing in time for screening to begin in the next fiscal year.
Supervisors asked staff how staffing, arming, monitoring and coverage would work. Ford said court security officers can be armed only after completing required AOC certifications and firearms training, and that the chief security officer would vet candidates and recommend who should be armed.
Following discussion, a supervisor moved to create the chief security officer position, to post the job immediately and to authorize hiring in the coming fiscal year; another supervisor seconded the motion. The board approved the motion by voice vote.
The board did not approve a one‑time spending authorization at the motion; Judge Ford asked staff to include capital costs — for example equipment, camera routing and entrance reconfiguration — in the forthcoming budget work and to return for any specific spending approvals. Ford estimated a budgetary placeholder of about $300,000 as an early planning number for equipment and initial build‑out, and staff will present more detailed cost estimates as projects are scoped.
The board’s action authorizes posting the position and directs staff to include the program and related capital asks in budget planning; hiring would occur after budget approval in the next fiscal year.
