Iowa's chief justice: More security needed at courthouses

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - Iowa needs more security at its courthouses, the state's chief justice said Wednesday, citing an incident last fall in which a man angry about his property taxes opened fire.

Chief Justice Mark Cady of the Iowa Supreme Court said the judicial branch is completing surveys to determine security levels at courthouses around the state, as well as state and county buildings. He said employees at those buildings have begun receiving additional training. He did not elaborate in his speech on that training, or specify what changes he would like to see or whether he would seek support from the Legislature.

Cady made the remarks during the annual "state of the judiciary" speech before a joint session at the Capitol. He discussed other priorities for 2015, including addressing racial disparities in its criminal justice system and digitalizing the court's legal documents. He applauded improvements to the state's juvenile court system, family treatment courts and civil litigation system.

Security is a priority, Cady said, after a man attempted to shoot an employee at the Jackson County Courthouse in September. Authorities said the man was killed following a scuffle with a county supervisor. No one else was seriously hurt.

"Every courthouse employee and courthouse visitor in this state deserves to feel safe and be safe," he said before announcing that the judicial branch is working with the Iowa State Association of Counties on the issue.

State Court Administrator David Boyd later said the judicial branch's security initiatives include updating guidelines for all court facilities by this summer and developing a standard curriculum for training employees. It would include training on how to respond to bomb threats, active shooters, hostage situations and natural disasters, among other things.

Iowa's courthouses have a variety of security measures in place, according to a 2005 report from the Iowa State Bar Association. The group has repeatedly said since then that the state needs to make more changes to improve security and safety.

Republican Gov. Terry Branstad said after Cady's speech that he was open to legislation.

"I do think we've got to be careful about not having a bunker mentality," he said. "We do want our government to be open and accessible to people, by the same token, we need to also be cognizant of some of the security issues involved."

Republican House Speaker Kraig Paulsen, of Hiawatha, said he was willing to discuss the topic but emphasized that courthouse security is handled on the county level.

"Some would argue that the counties are an extension of the state, to some level, but at this point right now that security is delegated," he said.

Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal, a Democrat from Council Bluffs, also said his caucus was open to discussing the issue, noting that many of the courthouses in question were built at a time when security wasn't a concern.

Gov. Terry Branstad's proposed budget shows the judicial branch is requesting more than $182 million for the fiscal year that begins July 1. That's an increase of more than $8 million over the current year.

Cady said the judicial branch needs to address racial disparities in its criminal justice system, noting that the state incarcerates more than 9 percent of adult black males. It's the third-highest percentage in the country, according to Cady.

"This is a difficult problem, but its complexity must not deter us from finding a solution," he said.

He said judicial officials are monitoring pilot programs in Johnson County, where black youths account for just 10 percent of all youth in the county but make up more than 50 percent of school arrests. The programs are aimed at reducing school referrals to juvenile court and diverting low-risk teenagers to community supervision to avoid formal charges, according to Cady.

The court system also is providing training to staff, including new judges and magistrates, on recognizing implicit biases that could contribute to racial disparities.

Cady also noted the judicial branch's effort over the last four years to digitalize court documents. He said the state's paperless court system will be operational in all Iowa counties by the end of June, and officials are exploring mobile technology.

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