Court offices make safety a priority

Until recently, Tuesday arraignments looked like a zoo inside the Dodge County Court offices.

Court employees had to fight past defense attorneys, prosecutors, court services staff and deputies. The employees often couldn't hear people on the other side of the glass trying to check in or ask a question.

The main reason was that up until recently, there was an “open door” policy at Dodge County Court, and that door was never locked.

“Anybody came in, both office doors were unlocked at all times,” said Lila Scheer, Dodge County Court Clerk Magistrate.

That has changed.

One door now is locked because employees couldn't readily see who was coming in. A second door was closed due to the nuisance the noise created, Scheer said.

“It was a lot of attorneys and they were all over,” she said. “It was difficult to get to the counter to serve the public. Then, we couldn't hear because of everyone's conversations. Sometimes, in my office, I couldn't even hear on the phone.”

First, the non-court employees were asked to go into the jury room to talk, but when that didn't help, the locked door policy was instated.

The noise wasn't the only concern.

“Before this time we put in bullet proof windows,” Scheer said. “The staff thought it was highly irregular that the door was still open.”

Soon, buzzers will be installed so employees can open the door from their desks to let approved people in, typically those searching records or attorneys who want to conference with the judge.

The changes have helped.

“The first Tuesday, it was 100 percent better,” Scheer said. “Before this, after everyone went into court, it was like the calm after the storm.”

There is good reason for increased security for Dodge County Court, Scheer said. It handles most of the bond money for the county.

“We handle a lot of money and we have a lot of records too,” Scheer said. “If someone sees an attorney walk right in, they can walk right in behind them. There have been arson cases (in other jurisdictions) where records have been torched.”

Safety is another reason for the changes.

“We are concerned for the judge and all the excellent employees we have,” Scheer said. “In the future, we plan to have the inmate arraignments and bond reviews in Courtroom B, because that's closer to where the inmates come up. We'd even like to ask the board for Kevlar (to place) around the judges bench.”