Linn supervisors to consider private guards at courthouse, juvenile courts

There's no question hiring private security guards for Linn County's new juvenile courts building and main courthouse would be cheaper than sheriff's deputies. Sheriff Brian Gardner hopes county supervisors will consider more than cost when they address the issue again Wednesday.

“They're obviously doing this as cost-saving measure. There's no other reason,” Gardner said. “But you very clearly get what you pay for.”

Wednesday's agenda includes a review of private contractors' quotes to provide security at both court buildings. The supervisors meet at 10 a.m. in the boardroom at Linn County West in the Westdale Mall.

In November, supervisors penciled in $240,000 in new sheriff's office spending for the fiscal year starting July 1 to hire three deputies, allowing the sheriff's office to provide security at the new juvenile justice center, scheduled to open late next summer in the 800 block of Second Street SW. Supervisors also decided to seek estimates for private guards.

Gardner acknowledges he'd need to hire three deputies to provide two full-time at the juvenile center, with the third required to cover vacation and sick days.

One of the four deputies assigned to security at the May's Island courthouse currently works at Linn County West, where juvenile and traffic courts are temporarily housed.

When the courthouse's east entrance reopens after renovations in about two years, one deputy will staff that post while two remain at the main entrance and the fourth serves as a “floater,” relieving deputies at either post and assisting where needed.

One of the courthouse's four-member contingent is Courtroom baliffs are employees of the court system and are unarmed, Gardner said.

Hired guards aren't sworn peace officers and would need to call for help from deputies or city police when disturbances happen, Gardner said.

“Pre-flood, the majority of the problems we had occured in the juvenile court area,” then in the main courthouse's lower level, Gardner said. “We have no reason to believe the problems wouldn't continue at that (new) building.”

Gardner said deputies have the training and background checks private guards wouldn't.

“I assume all of the liability and very little of the control” if private guards are hired, he said.

There's no question hiring private security guards for Linn County's new juvenile courts building and main courthouse would be cheaper than sheriff's deputies. Sheriff Brian Gardner hopes county supervisors will consider more than cost when they address the issue again Wednesday.

“They're obviously doing this as cost-saving measure. There's no other reason,” Gardner said. “But you very clearly get what you pay for.”

Wednesday's agenda includes a review of private contractors' quotes to provide security at both court buildings. The supervisors meet at 10 a.m. in the boardroom at Linn County West in the Westdale Mall.

In November, supervisors penciled in $240,000 in new sheriff's office spending for the fiscal year starting July 1 to hire three deputies, allowing the sheriff's office to provide security at the new juvenile justice center, scheduled to open late next summer  in the 800 block of Second Street SW. Supervisors also decided to seek estimates for private guards.

Gardner acknowledges he'd need to hire three deputies to provide two full-time at the juvenile center, with the third required to cover vacation and sick days.

One of the four deputies assigned to security at the May's Island courthouse currently works at Linn County West, where juvenile and traffic courts are temporarily housed.

When the courthouse's east entrance reopens after renovations in about two years, one deputy will staff that post while two remain at the main entrance and the fourth serves as a “floater,” relieving deputies at either post and assisting where needed.

One of the courthouse's four-member contingent is Courtroom baliffs are employees of the court system and are unarmed, Gardner said.

Hired guards aren't sworn peace officers and would need to call for help from deputies or city police when disturbances happen, Gardner said.

“Pre-flood, the majority of the problems we had occured in the juvenile court area,” then in the main courthouse's lower level, Gardner said. “We have no reason to believe the problems wouldn't continue at that (new) building.”

Gardner said deputies have the training and background checks private guards wouldn't.

“I assume all of the liability and very little of the control” if private guards are hired, he said.

There's no question hiring private security guards for Linn County's new juvenile courts building and main courthouse would be cheaper than sheriff's deputies. Sheriff Brian Gardner hopes county supervisors will consider more than cost when they address the issue again Wednesday.

“They're obviously doing this as cost-saving measure. There's no other reason,” Gardner said. “But you very clearly get what you pay for.”

Wednesday's agenda includes a review of private contractors' quotes to provide security at both court buildings. The supervisors meet at 10 a.m. in the boardroom at Linn County West in the Westdale Mall.

In November, supervisors penciled in $240,000 in new sheriff's office spending for the fiscal year starting July 1 to hire three deputies, allowing the sheriff's office to provide security at the new juvenile justice center, scheduled to open late next summer in the 800 block of Second Street SW. Supervisors also decided to seek estimates for private guards.

Gardner acknowledges he'd need to hire three deputies to provide two full-time at the juvenile center, with the third required to cover vacation and sick days.

One of the four deputies assigned to security at the May's Island courthouse currently works at Linn County West, where juvenile and traffic courts are temporarily housed.

When the courthouse's east entrance reopens after renovations in about two years, one deputy will staff that post while two remain at the main entrance and the fourth serves as a “floater,” relieving deputies at either post and assisting where needed.

One of the courthouse's four-member contingent is Courtroom baliffs are employees of the court system and are unarmed, Gardner said.

Hired guards aren't sworn peace officers and would need to call for help from deputies or city police when disturbances happen, Gardner said.

“Pre-flood, the majority of the problems we had occured in the juvenile court area,” then in the main courthouse's lower level, Gardner said. “We have no reason to believe the problems wouldn't continue at that (new) building.”

Gardner said deputies have the training and background checks private guards wouldn't.

“I assume all of the liability and very little of the control” if private guards are hired, he said.