Texas court out of money seeks volunteer security officers
AMARILLO, Texas Dec 12 2019 The Potter County Attorney’s Office is now putting their plan into practice to staff two volunteer law enforcement officers in Child Protective Services court hearings.
There have been no budgeted funds for a bailiff or a security officer for these cases before, but it’s all to make sure they go as smoothly and safely as possible.
The county has filled one of these two positions.
Potter County Attorney, Scott Brumley says it’s not a new issue, but it’s become more imperative to address.
“More recently, we’ve figured out that there are more hearings than times we have available for an investigator go over, because we’re having more hearings,” he said.
“We are having more removals. The CPS numbers are going up in Potter County.”
Brumley’s office represents the county during these hearings, and according to Brumley, the emotional nature of the court proceedings mean dedicated security could make a safer environment for participants and county employees.
“We get information about what goes on in those hearings, and they tend to be emotionally fraught. The tensions tend to run high and emotions run high and there is always the potential for somebody in a moment of indiscretion or anger, to do something,” he said.
Brumley said security personnel are traditionally referred to as reserve officers and are licensed as peace officers.
“There are various reasons people would want to do it. One would be an officer who doesn’t really want to work full time but wants to keep their TCOL license active, and you have to be carried as a commissioned officer through some law enforcement agency, which we are,” said Brumley.
Sometimes it may be a young officer who wants to get experience before trying to move on into being a more conventional patrol deputy or police officer.
The county handles the costs of training requirements, which in this case would include court security training.
Brumley said, in the future, although there have been talks of hiring a full-time officer, it wouldn’t come to fruition until next September, when the next county budget is submitted.
Until then, Brumley says at least they’ll have a history of some period of time to show whether there’s really a need for it.
KVII
