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DuPage may discuss using bailiffs for court security to save money

In search of a cheaper way to secure the DuPage County courthouse, county board members have repealed the 1993 resolution that paved the way for sheriff's deputies to provide court security.

At one time, a combination of sworn sheriff's deputies and civilian bailiffs provided security at the courthouse in Wheaton. That changed 22 years ago when the county board directed that the bailiffs be replaced by corrections officers.

Now DuPage has more than 70 deputies assigned to the main courthouse and its four field courts. As a result, officials say, DuPage is spending millions of dollars more a year to provide court security compared to counties using other types of security personnel.

"Every other county in the state uses the equivalent of a bailiff - a sworn officer who is not a sheriff's deputy," county board member Robert Larsen said. "We are the only county in Illinois that uses sworn deputies in this process."

Larsen defined a "sworn officer" as someone who has received a certain level of training but isn't a regular deputy.

But because of the 1993 resolution, Sheriff John Zaruba couldn't talk about the possibility of using sworn officers who aren't deputies.

Board member Gary Grasso said Tuesday's decision makes it possible for that discussion to take place.

"It is our responsibility to provide for the public safety, to provide the courtroom security," Grasso said. "But it's also our job to do it is a cost-effective manner. We need to, therefore, discuss it in the context of it being cost effective or not."

County board member Grant Eckhoff said the savings could be as much as $50,000 per person if the county used non-deputies for the job.

Still, it remains to be seen whether Zaruba will consider making any changes.

As a countywide elected official, one of his responsibilities is to determine court security. He gets the final say on what changes, if any, are made.

No one from the sheriff's office attended the county board meeting.

After the meeting, Zaruba issued a brief statement saying his office "will continue to provide the best court security that the county board allows us to."

Meanwhile, officials with the union representing the rank-and-file deputies say their existing contract doesn't allow the county to subcontract their work.

"These people that are in your courthouse are officers of the law," said Joseph Mazzone, chief counsel for the Metropolitan Alliance of Police. "We think that the people that are there now are doing the best job possible."

Board member Pete DiCianni and four other board members opposed Tuesday's measure. He said rescinding the 1993 resolution is a step in the wrong direction.

"I think it's a slap to law enforcement," DiCianni said.

If there is a discussion, Larsen said it's possible officials will determine that the existing courthouse security shouldn't be changed. "But we shouldn't be afraid to ask the question," he said.

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