Commission debates courthouse screening after citizens complain it's demeaning

A debate over courthouse security screening highlighted a split between dignity and safety concerns at the St. Clair County Commission meeting.

Retired Probate Judge Wallace White Jr. argued the practice of searching people who come into the courthouse to buy vehicle tags or pay taxes is demeaning and inconsistent if not applied universally. "If we're gonna search one person, we need to search everybody," White said, questioning exemptions and calling the system an "insult to the dignity of the people of Saint Clair County." He urged the commission to reconsider the scale and placement of security measures so ordinary business transactions do not feel like court processing.

The circuit clerk and courthouse staff pushed back, citing safety incidents and everyday threats to employees. A county clerk (identified in the meeting record) said deputies have found knives, guns and even a hatchet during screenings and described a recent violent episode involving a mentally challenged visitor. "They diffuse situations. They don't create situations," the clerk said, arguing screening and deputies in shared hallways protect both staff and the public.

Commissioners acknowledged both views and recognized the county operates under a supreme court directive to provide courthouse security while the county determines how to implement it locally. The Chair said the commission must balance duty to provide security with minimizing offensive or excessive measures and agreed to keep the matter in ongoing discussion; no policy change was adopted at the meeting.