BCJ 3450 Unit VIII Final Exam

What are some of the methods used to disguise a firearm in an attempt to enter the courthouse?

Illegal & prohibited weapons, to include firearms, may be difficult to identify and locate on people entering a courthouse. Marketing and sales of disguised or concealable weapons have exploded in the United States since the 1950’s (Jones, 2003). Many of these deadly weapons are made to look like every-day items such as pens, cellphones, belt buckles, canes, or even children’s toys.

Some of the ways people attempt to bring firearms into courtrooms vary from incredibly simple to quite complex. Many have simply free-carried firearms right through security. Others utilize paper bag carry, waistband carry, cardboard box carry, and briefcase / portfolio carry as a means to bring guns in. Some folks have used elastic bands & straps, garments, and hollowed-out books as ways to dupe security into thinking they do not have any firearms on them. Not often seen in courtrooms, but is fairly common for convicts to conceal and bring weapons, drugs, and electronic devices into prisons is by inserting the item(s) into their body cavities; normally the rectum, mouth, nose, and/or by swallowing the contraband.  If swallowed, the carrier may rupture and serious injury or death can result.  If all goes well for the suspect, he or she will then fish the item(s) out of their feces inside the cell or pod restroom.  

What are blocking procedures?

Physically blocking a suspect involves developing positions that require the suspect to overrun while attempting to escape. They should be manned by more than one officer or staff member and the incident commander should take into account breaks for those on a post. It can be easy for a member to become distracted during a dynamic situation resulting in that area not being covered.

The main point or idea in using any blocking technique is to effectively challenge or change an avenue of escape for the suspect. By putting something or someone in the way, the person may need to stop or change direction. This allows a chase team the ability to advance or overtake the suspect. Those assigned to blocking positions must stay at their post no matter what. If a perimeter member leaves their post to chase a suspect after seeing him/her, the suspect could lose the officer and double back to the now-vacant post. 

Some locations may require the collection and placement of large items to aid in blocking access to certain areas. Some items to consider include vehicles, spike sleds, tire puncture devices, or large trucks. These blocking procedures do not need to remain static and movement should be considered as most escape attempts are fluid and ever-changing. Some of these items may work well during daylight but not well in darkness and vise-versa. As such, transporting certain blocking devices may become necessary as time passes.

What are some of the methods used to disguise a knife?

Illegal & prohibited weapons, to include knives and other edged weapons, may be difficult to identify and locate on people entering a courthouse or other secure facility. Marketing and sales of disguised or concealable weapons have exploded in the United States since the 1950’s (Jones, 2003). Many of these deadly weapons are made to look like every-day items such as pens, cellphones, belt buckles, canes, or even children’s toys.

Knives are often hidden within every-day items such as lipstick holders, belt buckles, false or altered casts, slings, hallowed out items such as books, and anywhere on their person. Because knives come in many shapes and can be very small, they can easily be secreted on or inside a person with relative ease. Edged weapons are deadly and the average person can inflict fatal injuries upon another using a knife just as easily, if not easier, than a firearm. Knives do not need to be aimed or reloaded. They can be hidden all the way up until the time of use and even during an attack.

Those who practice with edged weapons such as knives, daggers, swords, and the like can inflict massive injuries upon a person before that subject can even react. The average person, absent premeditation, requires 1.5 seconds to perceive, recognize, and then react to a stimulus. When an attacker has a knife, the damage can be lethal well within that timeframe. As such, most researchers agree that a suspect within 21’ armed with an edged weapon can get to and injury or kill a victim before that person can react and defend themselves.

What are the characteristics of a good plan for courthouse security?

A good courthouse security plan has many components. As a general rule, best practices, according to researchers, include fundamental, essential, critical, and important components working together to form a proactive and dynamic security program.

Fundamentally, the program must include command structure, dedicated and updatable policies & procedures, and a working committee to departmentalize and put into effect decisions made by the command staff.

Essential elements include closed circuit television & digital recording devices; emergency equipment and policy dictating how & when certain options can & should be used; alarms and intrusion detection systems; and external parking separated for staff, visitors, jury members, and sworn/non-sworn members.

Critical components of a sound courthouse security program include, but may not be limited to, access control to include staff, detainees, and public; after-hours access to court buildings and offices by screened employees & staff members; dedicated courtrooms with secure entry/exit routes and separate avenues for staff, judges, counsel, public, and detainees; minimum sworn & non-sworn security staffing levels; proactive and reactive alarm & signalling / communications devices; threat and incident reporting policies and procedures that staff members all understand and are accountable to; and a robust and updated training policy to include in-service training of current employees.

Finally, but not the least bit as important to a compete security program for courthouses and judicial centers include cash and accounting hardware, software, training, auditing, & security; exterior/interior random yet systematic patrols; perimeter safety and monitoring; public lobbies, hallways, stairwells, & elevator(s) monitoring & control; and the screening of both internal & external mail or packages to include digital delivery and dedicated IT security staff, policy, and reporting procedures.