Local

Courthouse employees: Security is lax, safety at risk

By COURTNEY MARTIN, LTN Staff Writer

Feb. 27, 2002 - Lincoln County officials say security should be beefed up at Lincolnton’s downtown courthouse.

County workers can cite numerous security breakdowns, and Clerk of Court Pam Huskey flatly admits it’s a big problem.

“We have no security. None, zip, zero, absolutely no security in this courthouse,” said Huskey. “We have no cameras, no metal detectors, no officers, nothing.”

The recent escape of Jeremy Howard, who had been taken before a magistrate on numerous charges, brought up some of the issues.

“People will fight in the halls, they get loose from custody … one man even peed in the trash can on the first floor and got away,” said one courthouse employee who did not want to be named.

Several other employees told of finding drugs and other contraband in the building as well as a bag of bullets.

“Security in the courthouse is a mess,” said another employee.

How bad is courthouse security?

The circuit breaker box on the third floor next to the public bathrooms, which controls electrical power to the courthouse, is not only unlocked, but ajar.

“It’s going to take a tragedy in the courthouse before they’re going to do anything,” said another employee.

Huskey pointed out that police protection is not that close. The courthouse is located six blocks from the Lincolnton Police Department and about three miles from the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office.

While agreeing security is a major concern, other employees said they are not worried.

“I don’t think we’re the most vulnerable building in the county,” said Susan Spake, director of Lincoln County Emergency Management, located in the basement of the courthouse.

She said the deputies assigned in the courthouse do a good job of going around the building and would see anything out of the ordinary.

Also, officers are in and out of the building at all hours because of the magistrate’s office.

“I’ve never felt unsecured” in the magistrate’s office, said David Burgin, a Lincoln County Magistrate for more than 25 years. Burgin said some more security would be helpful such as a camera for the magistrate’s outside door.

A 1996 study conducted by the U.S. Marshals Service made recommendations on the security at Lincoln County Courthouse.

One recommendation made for almost every area in the courthouse was the installation of panic buttons.

Currently, only the Tax Office has one of the buttons.

The study also recommended that the holding cells in the courthouse no longer be used if not renovated. The cells have not been renovated and are still used.

The study noted that the night magistrate was not secured.

“Consideration should be given to the magistrate being relocated to a more secure and safe site after hours,” the study said.

A new office for use by magistrates was built into the Harven A. Crouse Law Enforcement and Detention Center on Wilma Sigmon Road. The center opened in April 2000.

“The facility (was meant) for the magistrates to use at night and on weekends,” said Sheriff Barbara Pickens.

But nothing has been moved into the facility.

“It’s not practical to have two magistrate offices,” said Burgin. “It would take extra computer systems and a lot of paper shuffling to have the two offices.”

Pickens said many of the study’s recommendations were discussed but no action was taken because of a lack of money.

“At the time, there was no funding available,” said Pickens. “I purchased a walk-through metal detector for the courthouse and (it) is used for special trials.”

Pickens said the biggest problem is finding the manpower to operate a checkpoint. “I don’t have the additional staff just to put someone out there to stand in the hall.”

Pickens said she contacted the Justice Academy last week to make plans for a new study to begin in April.

“Technology has changed since 1996 and that’s why I wanted the Justice Academy to come up this spring and do another study for us.”

© 2001 Lincoln Times-News  

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