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St. Clair County Commission debates courthouse screening; clerk defends security as safety measure
Summary
A retired judge and county officials disagreed over courthouse screening practices: Judge Wallace White Jr. criticized broad screening and selective enforcement, while the circuit clerk described incidents and said deputies and screening have prevented violent incidents. Commissioners said the county must balance safety and convenience and will keep the issue under review.
Retired probate Judge Wallace White Jr. told the commission he found portions of the courthouse screening system offensive and inconsistent. "If we're gonna search one person, we need to search everybody," he said, questioning why some people are screened while others walk through without the same checks.
The circuit clerk, who asked to speak during the report section, described multiple incidents she said justified screening and the presence of deputies. “We have not had any of our judges shot or stabbings... I attribute that to the fact that we do have security,” she said, and described finding knives, guns and even a hatchet during screenings.
Commissioners noted the county is responsible for funding courthouse security but does not unilaterally set court security policy; the level of screening involves coordination with the sheriff and district attorney and, in the chair’s words, is influenced by long-standing directives from judicial leadership. Commissioners said they want screening to be consistent, minimally intrusive and reviewed periodically.
The exchange highlighted competing priorities: some citizens and officials emphasized dignity and convenience for routine county business such as buying tags or renewing licenses; others emphasized safety for court staff, clerks and the public and described real incidents where screening or deputies prevented harm. Commissioners asked staff to continue monitoring and to work with judicial and law-enforcement partners about the placement and scope of screening in Pell City and other courthouses.
No formal county policy change or appropriation was approved during the meeting; commissioners indicated the discussion would remain on future agendas if citizens or officials brought additional concerns or proposals.
