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County staff, judges back multi‑phase courthouse security upgrades
Summary
Montgomery County staff and judges described a multi‑phase judicial security CIP to add controlled-access doors, card readers and communications equipment in the Circuit Court building; Phase 1 is complete, Phase 2 is underway and the county recommended FY27 funding toward the nearly $1.8 million project.
Chair Katz opened the Public Safety Committee meeting and invited court and county staff to present the Judicial Security Improvement CIP. Council staff said the county executive recommends $98,000 in FY27 for a project whose total six‑year cost will bring it to just under $1.8 million.
Council staff said the project will install security doors at each level of the North Tower of the Circuit Court Building to limit public access to specific elevators for judicial use and will add card readers, intercoms and a fire alarm pull station on each floor. Phase 1, which addressed the terrace level and third floor, was completed in FY25; Phase 2 is ongoing and is expected to finish in the upcoming fiscal year.
Carla Smith, administrative judge for the circuit court, said certain personnel and shared‑building access issues remain and urged continued coordination with the sheriff’s office to ensure rapid response when courtroom incidents occur. Tim Sheridan, court administrator, described that the new doors already allow judges to enter directly from secure parking and said the project is working well on floors where it is complete.
Sheriff Maxwell Wee told the committee the sheriff’s office is making hiring progress and continuing to collaborate with the courts on security needs. “We’re gonna continue to work with … Mr. Sheridan and certainly our new judge,” the sheriff said, noting recent recruitment for academy sessions and optimism about staffing.
Council staff recommended approval of the judicial security project as submitted. The committee did not record any separate motion or amendment specific to this project during the session; staff and panelists indicated continued coordination as Phase 2 proceeds.
