NCJ Number
118443
Journal
Security Management Volume: 33 Issue: 6 Dated: (June 1989) Pages: 38-42
Date Published
1989
Length
5 pages
Annotation
The development and delivery of a court security training program are critical to effective court security, as are comprehensive planning and ongoing staff training for potential courthouse emergencies. Maine has developed such an inhouse training program.
Abstract
Although there are Federal and private security training programs for court security officers, local, inhouse training programs can be tailored to local security needs and upgrade morale among local court security staff. The training curriculum should focus on the tasks performed by court security officers at the sites under their control. Basic court security officer training is required for all personnel assigned to Maine courts. Common training topics are legal issues, nonverbal communication, handling the mentally ill, courthouse security surveys, protective operations, threat analysis, explosives and bomb threats, intelligence, hostage events, high-risk trials, judicial protocol, and jury details. The Maine Office of Court Security Services has also prepared site-specific courthouse emergency response plans for each court in the State. The emergency situations covered include medical emergencies, theft and robbery events, bomb threats and explosions, fire and smoke situations, civil disturbances, hostage events, prisoner custody problems, general threat events, duress alarm procedures, and other emergencies such as chemical hazards, nuclear hazards, and floods.