Lake County sheriff's office: Women entering courthouse not asked to remove tops

After reviewing hours of surveillance footage, Lake County sheriff's office officials said Thursday they've found no evidence that female employees entering the Waukegan courthouse were asked by security to unbutton or remove their blouses.

The review was prompted by a CBS 2 report earlier this week that multiple women said they'd been made to remove their blouses before going through metal detectors at the courthouse. According to the report, one employee who asked not to be identified said she had been humiliated.

Sheriff's office Chief of Staff Anthony Vega said Thursday that after a thorough review of the available security camera footage - which includes multiple angles of security lines - no instances of women being made to remove their blouses were found.

"Any specific complaint about being asked to remove a blouse was not relayed to us directly. It was third party through the media," Vega said. "We hope that in the future any person who has concerns or questions about the screening process reaches out through the appropriate channels so that we can adequately address them in partnership."

Vega said security officials are instructed to ask people entering the courthouse to remove outerwear such as coats, cardigans and jackets before walking through a metal detector.

Vega said the entrance where the complaints were reported is maintained by Chicago-based Monterrey Security. He said after the complaints were brought to his attention he spoke with Monterrey leadership to review the security protocols.

Vega said he also reached out to department heads so they could remind their employees of the security line rules.

For many employees, Vega said, this is the first week back in over a year to the large building at 18 N. County St. in Waukegan that houses courtrooms as well as Lake County administrative offices.