Dallas County JP judges push for more security at government offices

DALLAS - Dallas County commissioners are moving forward with a plan to make county government offices safer for the people who work there while still providing access to the public.

That includes justice of the peace courtrooms.

The buildup in building security comes following an assessment of safeguards at all county buildings and justices of the peace asking for more safety over the past few years.

What they're saying:

Justice of the Peace Katina Whitfield and other judges attended a continuous improvement steering committee meeting with county commissioners, expressing safety concerns in government centers.

"My concern is overall security for the building, not just my courtroom and not just when I'm in the courtroom," said Whitfield. 

"About five years ago, we looked at it. There wasn’t any type of security in all these government centers," said Dallas Fire Marshal Chief Robert De Los Santos.

Government centers house offices for the public so people can renew vehicle registration, pay taxes or take care of other business.

But the centers also house justice of the peace courts that can sometimes have eruptive emotions.

The marshals are now covering security in the satellite centers separating public areas from the courts and screening those coming before a judge.

"We've already started this in one of our government centers in Grand Prairie. We started the screening operations out there on the second floor," said De Los Santos. "After that, we looked at it. Everything's running pretty smoothly. At this point, we're going to be going to South Dallas Government Center to do that as well."

The backstory:

Grand Prairie Justice of the Peace Mike Jones is on the courtroom security committee and led the initiative. 

Some JPs complain they don't always have a bailiff in their courtrooms.

Dallas County Commissioner John Wiley Price says the responsibility falls on the constables. 

State law charges constables with two duties: serving civil papers and being present at justice of the peace hearings.

Precinct 3 Dallas County Constable Henry Curry told commissioners that constables need more personnel 

"We're not trying to negate any of our statutory duties. We're here to do that," he said. "We just need the staffing. As you all are willing to fund the marshals to do it, fund us. We'll do anything that you need us to do."

What's next:

Commissioners said the county currently has a staffing assessment being done by UT Arlington to determine if current staffing levels for constables are adequate. But the immediate word was to juggle the numbers and make sure JP courts are covered with a constable bailiff when there is a docket.