A judge in the Eighth Judicial District issued a letter to the Waupaca County Board of Supervisors regarding the county’s lack of movement towards improving courthouse security.
Waupaca County Board Chairman Dick Koeppen responded that they’re making due after the issue was rejected for this year’s budget.
“Waupaca County has not made much of a movement,” Koppen acknowledged. “I did have a committee studying that, but it got voted down because of budget. However, we do do security for obvious situations, or we have high profile trials and we do it just on occasion.”
During budget discussions, the county made a proposal to set aside $190,000 to fund additional security, but it was narrowly voted down 13-12. Koeppen assures proponents of the matter that the board is not forgetting about the issue.
“It is a concern and we have a certain group that is really pushing security,” he said. “I was for it, but the group got passed by because it boiled down to dollars and cents on the budget.”
Koeppen adds the issue will be revisited next year by the board of supervisors.
For the time being, the county does use metal detectors for the high profile cases, but would like to find funds to expand its use daily, along with a courthouse officer.