BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

County of Linn, Iowa

Directive Number:
Courthouse Security and Restricted Access
Approval Date: Effective Date: Revision No.: Policy Section & Number:
02/06/2008 02/06/2008 2
10/15/2003 10/152003 1
06/20/2002 06/20/2002 Original
OP - 008

Reference: Distribution:
02/04/2008 10/14/03 Master Policy Manual , Intranet
Minutes of 06/11/02

I. Policy/Purpose:

Individuals entering the Linn County Courthouse shall be subject to security

screening during the times that the Courthouse is open to the public. Access to
the Courthouse during non-public hours and within the Courthouse during public
hours shall be controlled by an access control system.
The Linn County Board of Supervisors seeks to establish an appropriate level of
security that minimizes the opportunity for physical violence and/or injury to
employees, the public and anyone conducting business in the Courthouse.

II. Scope:

Every individual entering the Linn County Courthouse during public hours shall
be subject to a security screening by the Linn County Sheriff’s Office using a
combination of walk-through, handheld and package screening devices.
Firearms, knives and personal protection devices are subject to the provisions of
Section IV. If not otherwise specified in this policy, the Sheriff’s Office shall
establish screening procedures that balance the need for security with the
productivity and functional needs of Maintenance/Facility Workers and
employees of Contractors/businesses hired by Linn County to conduct work in
the building.

A. Employees who have been granted 24/7 access to the Courthouse MAY,
with the approval of their department head, be granted a waiver to bypass the
security screening. This waiver is allowed only at the East Entrance. A listing of
eligible employees will be maintained at the East Entrance. Security personnel
may deny the waiver with justification and shall report each denial of the waiver
to the Court House Security supervisor and the employee’s department head.

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Policy No. OP-008
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III. Entrances:

A. The North (3rd Ave) Entrance:

North (3rd Ave) Entrance shall be open to the general public and shall be
staffed as a security screening entrance by Linn County Sheriff’s Office
personnel from 7:30 AM until 4:30 PM, Monday through Friday (except
legal holidays common to both State and County workers).

B. East Entrance:

1. The East Entrance shall be staffed as a security screening entrance

by Linn County Sheriff’s Office personnel from 7:30 AM until 4:30
PM, Monday through Friday (except legal holidays common to both
State and County workers). The East Entrance shall be controlled
by the building access control system and may be utilized by
individuals who have been issued an access control card and have
been granted the appropriate permission.

2. The East Entrance shall be designated as the entrance that is

accessible by persons with disabilities and for deliveries to the
courthouse.

3. The East Entrance shall be staffed as the security screening

entrance for weekend, holiday and after hours activities of the court
which require accessibility by the general public, or in any other
instances where access to the courthouse is restricted to one
entrance.

C. West Entrance:

The West Entrance of the Courthouse shall be controlled by the building

access control system with provisions for emergency egress.

D. South Entrance (facing the Correctional Center):

The South Entrance of the Courthouse, facing the Correctional Center

shall be controlled by the building access control system with provisions
for emergency egress.

E. Underground Parkade Tunnel Entrance:

The Underground Parkade Tunnel Entrance shall be closed to the public

and locked twenty-four hours a day at both the Parkade and Courthouse
ends of the tunnel. Admission within the tunnel will be on an as-needed
basis.

F. Jail Tunnel:
Access through the tunnel connecting the Courthouse with the Correctional
Center shall be restricted as deemed appropriate by the Linn County Sheriff.
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IV. WEAPON SECURITY:

The provisions of this section may be modified to accommodate the lawful

activities of participants in judicial matters, such as in the case of court exhibits.
Authorization to bring items restricted by this policy into the Courthouse shall be
evaluated and granted/denied on a case-by-case basis. The Sheriff’s Office
shall establish a procedure to accommodate such requests and the safe handling
of restricted items while within the Courthouse. “Authorization” as denoted in this
section shall be as deemed appropriate by the supervisor of the Sheriff’s
Courthouse Security Unit, or his designee.

Law enforcement personnel in civilian clothes intending to bring any of the

following items into the Court House must use the East Entrance. Bypassing
security procedures at the North (3rd Ave) Entrance by non-uniform personnel will
not be permitted.

A. Firearms:

1. Court security deputies and deputies escorting inmates to court will

be armed at all times.

2. Law enforcement personnel with valid official identification displaying

their photograph will be allowed into the Courthouse with their
weapon.

a. Judges’ policies regarding law enforcement officers being

armed in the courtroom shall govern weapons within each
courtroom.

b. Law enforcement personnel involved as a party in a civil

proceeding, which is not related to his/her employment as a
peace officer, shall be subject to the restrictions enforced
upon non-law enforcement visitors to the Courthouse.

3. Any person attempting to enter the Courthouse who has a valid

concealed weapons permit (non-law enforcement) will be required to
secure their weapon outside the Courthouse prior to entry.

4. Any unauthorized person attempting to enter the Courthouse with a

firearm, offensive weapon, or explosive device will be denied access
and may be subject to arrest.

B. Knives and other dangerous weapons:

1. Law enforcement personnel with valid official identification

displaying their photograph will be allowed into the Courthouse with
edged weapons.

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Policy No. OP-008
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 2. Unauthorized persons who attempt to enter the Courthouse with
knives of any size will be asked to secure the knives outside the
Courthouse or in the lockers at the East Entrance. In no event will
knives be allowed past the security entrance.

3. Persons in possession of a knife with a blade in excess of that

allowed by Iowa Code may be subject to arrest.

4. Unauthorized persons attempting to enter the Courthouse with what

appears to be an offensive weapon as defined by state law will be
subject to arrest.

C. Personal protection devices:

1. Law enforcement personnel with valid official identification displaying

their photograph will be allowed into the Courthouse with their
chemical control agent.

2. Unauthorized civilians will be instructed to secure the chemical

control agent outside the Courthouse or in the property lockers
located at the East Entrance.

3. Other personal protection devices will be evaluated on a case-by-

case basis.

D. Property Lockers:

1. A limited number of property lockers are available at the East

Entrance and may be made available on a case-by-case basis.

2. Persons at the 3rd Avenue entrance who have items that they wish
to secure in a locker shall be directed outside the building towards
the East Entrance for entry into the Courthouse. The East
Entrance security staff shall be notified that the person(s) and
item(s) are enroute.

V. Deliveries:

Delivery personnel and packages are subject to security screening if they intend
to proceed beyond the security entrance.

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VI. After Hour Activities:

A. Requests to use the Linn County Courthouse after normal public hours by
outside agencies shall be submitted to the Board of Supervisors.

B. The Assistant to the Board shall coordinate the processing of the request
and shall communicate with the requesting party on behalf of the Board
and prepare consideration for Board action.

C. The following departments shall be contacted:

1. Risk Management for insurance coverages and certificates.

2. Facilities for janitorial and access control programming.

3. Sheriff’s Office staff for security personnel scheduling.

4. Other departments or state offices as needed.

D. Facilities and Sheriff’s offices may determine appropriate fees to

compensate for expenses related to requests for after hours use of the
Courthouse. The Board of Supervisors may waive the collection of fees,
in part or in full.

E. The provisions of this section do not apply to the following activities. The
Court Administrator’s Office or County Attorney’s Office shall coordinate
changes to security or facilities staffing related to these events:

1. Judicial meetings.

2. Peer court.

3. Court Administration or Clerk of Court meetings.

4. County Attorney’s Office meetings.

5. Special activities sponsored by the Court.

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VII. Access Control – Permissions:

A. The Board of Supervisors has provided an access control system within

the Courthouse.

B. The granting of, and changes to access rights into or within the
Courthouse shall be by the Board of Supervisors or their designee, or:

1. County Attorney or his/her designee for the employees of the

County Attorney’s Office,

2. Court Administrator or his/her designee, for Iowa judicial branch

employees housed in the Linn County Courthouse.

3. County Sheriff or his designee for employees of the Sheriff’s Office.

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Policy No. OP-008
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