The White County Courthouse has upgraded its security protocol, thanks to a $24,000 state grant.
The Sheriffs Department has installed a new x-ray machine, two walk-through detectors and three hand-held detectors as part of the upgrade.
“We were able to update the equipment, it was quite dated,” White County Sheriffs Information Officer Melissa Worthington said.
Workers completed the installation last week. The state paid 90 percent of the costs of the upgrade.
“The equipment was purchased through a grant we received from the Administrative Office of the Courts for justice centers to update their security equipment,” Worthington said. “It’s in light of the security breaches that have happened across the state during the last year, year and a half.”
Worthington said the security will not only protect those in the courtrooms and offices, it should help with people trying to bring items into the courthouse.
“Various types of contraband ranging from cell phones to knives to tobacco, you name it,” Worthington said. “It’s able to help us keep a closer eye on what’s coming in and out of the courtroom.”
