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Pr- <br />NOV <br />NOV 7 1989 <br />BOOK 18 FADE 30JC <br />protect the people coming to the courthouse. He informed the <br />Board that he knew that within the past 2 years someone pulled a <br />gun on Judge Balsiger in his courtroom, and he also knew that <br />within the past 3 months, a lady had a 22 gun in her purse in his <br />offices. Judge Kanarek stressed that at present we have no <br />method to determine if someone walking into the courthouse has a <br />weapon, and in the courts, they deal with very emotional issues. <br />He was also concerned that we have no security for the prisoners <br />we bring into the courtrooms. These prisoners in shackles are <br />walking through the public, and there is the possibility some <br />friend could hand them a weapon. <br />Judge Kanarek explained that the idea was to secure the <br />courtroom areas and the upstairs part of the courthouse because <br />it was felt that it is not financially feasible to shut off the <br />whole courthouse. He continued to stress that at this time we <br />have no way of knowing if someone has a weapon, and he guessed <br />the Board must make a cost/benefit decision because there have <br />been instances of violence in the court system in this state. A <br />judge, a lawyer, and a litigant, were killed in the last two <br />years in a domestic relations case, and Judge Kanarek believed <br />people have been either killed or shot in the Orange County <br />Courthouse. He also stressed that the hardware for which the <br />dollars are to be spent is the same hardware that will be used in <br />the new building; so, actually the real cost is for the extra <br />personnel to man that hardware. <br />Commissioner Bird noted that one of his questions was how <br />much of this will be reusable in the new facility, and Chairman <br />Wheeler stated that practically all of it would be reusable, <br />including the personnel, but we would have the personnel 4 years <br />sooner. That is the big expense. <br />Judge Kanarek pointed out that no one has brought a gun into <br />the St. Lucie County or Martin County courthouse, but they have <br />metal detectors that you can see before you get there. He felt <br />34 <br />