Security steps

Following Jay County Commissioners’ lead, Jay County Council was quick to take steps to improve courthouse security.

Council members on Wednesday approved adding funds to the 2020 budget for two new positions and working with a consulting firm to get job descriptions in place.

Council also approved the job description for a full-time school resource officer.

Jay Circuit Court Judge Brian Hutchison and Jay Superior Court Judge Max Ludy had approached Jay County Commissioners at a recent executive session to discuss courthouse security. They presented a survey from the director of security for Indiana Supreme Court that indicated security measures are in need of an upgrade. They also caught the attention of local officials by showing them some of the weapons that have been confiscated by authorities inside the courthouse.

Commissioners discussed taking steps toward added security at their meeting Monday, and on Wednesday Commissioner Chuck Huffman and Hutchison visited council to suggest moving forward on the issue. Council members Jeanne Houchins, Ted Champ, Gary Theurer, Mike Rockwell, Faron Parr and Amy Runyon-Barrett, absent Cindy Newton, quickly agreed, taking multiple steps to get the process rolling:

•Asking Auditor Anna Culy to include funding in the budget for two new positions.

•Approving working with consulting firm Waggoner, Irwin and Scheele on job descriptions for the new positions.

•Naming Runyon-Barrett to the committee to discuss courthouse security.

Though the committee to discuss full details of how to handle courthouse security is still being formed — commissioners hope to finalize members at their April 22 meeting — Huffman said the initial idea is to close off three of the courthouse doors and funnel everyone who enters the building through one entrance — likely the Main Street entrance. 

That entrance would have equipment for detecting weapons and be staffed by two employees — one a full-time employee in charge of courthouse security and the other to be manned by local deputies and reserves in a part-time role.

One of the questions that remains to be answered is how to fund the position. Culy suggested that one option would be to pay for sheriff’s office vehicles from the cumulative capital development fund, which would then free up dollars in the sheriff’s budget.

Among the other details to be discussed that could have an impact on cost is whether security would be extended during after-hours events such as council meetings and election voting.

Huffman said he would like to see the new courthouse security measures in place by Jan. 1.

After months of discussion with the sheriff’s office and Jay School Corporation, council approved a job description for a deputy/school resource officer.

The job description includes reporting and investigating crimes on the school campus, assisting in implementing the school safety plan, serving as a classroom resource for educational programs, providing security at after-school functions and serving as a liaison between the school corporation, sheriff’s office and community. When school is not in session, the officer in that position would perform the regular functions of a sheriff’s office deputy.

Jay County Sheriff Dwane Ford said Wednesday he plans to select the new SRO from deputies already on staff who are interested in the position. The sheriff’s office will then hire a new deputy to fill the vacancy.

A memorandum of understanding between the county and school corporation is being developed in order to have the school resource officer in place for the 2019-2020 school year.

In other business, council:

•Approved additional appropriations of $3,950 from cumulative capital development for the installation of a new furnace at the highway department and $5,00 from prosecutor Title IV-D for wages for a temporary employee. Council also approved the job description for the employee in the prosecutor’s office as part of a process of transition as a longtime employee retires.

•OK’d transfers for $7,000 to bullet proof vests from group health insurance in the general fund and $9,000 to field supervisor from field office in the Community Corrections Grant fund. 

•Approved amendments to the county’s overtime policy. Sheriff’s office merit deputies and sergeants will have their overtime based on a 28-day pay period, with any hours worked over 171 resulting in time-and-a-half pay.

•Rescheduled its July meeting for 7 p.m. July 17. It was originally scheduled for July 10, which falls during the Jay County Fair.

•Discussed the 2020 budget calendar.