Policy Text
Court Security Division P age 1 of 7 3/09 (REV 6/11)
Procedures: High Risk Trials
The purpose of this Operations Or der is to outline procedures t o follow for high-risk
trials at any Sacramento C ounty Superior Court facility.
I. Policy
A. High-risk trials are judicial proceedings which may draw:
1. High media attention. 2. Acts of violence or threats. 3. Disruption to the court setting.
B. Judicial officers, witnesses , prosecutors, jurors, or defend ants may be
threatened prior to or during proc eedings in an attempt to inti midate them
or alter their conduct duri ng the court proceedings.
C. The Court Security Division sh all provide low-key security m easures to
ensure a party’s right to a fair public trial while preserving the integrity of a
safe judicial proceeding.
II. Coordination Responsibility
A. The Assistant Commander is re sponsible for coordinating high -risk trials at
the Gordon D. Schaber Courthouse facility and at the Main Jail.
B. The Satellite Facilities Comm ander is responsible for coordi nating high-
risk trials at the William R. Ridgeway Courthouse, the B.T. Col lins Juvenile
Courthouse, and the Carol Miller Justice Center.
C. A supervisor is responsible for providing direct supervision and
coordination of personnel at the Gordon D. Schaber Courthouse. Other
facility sergeants are responsib le for supervision and coordina tion of
personnel at their respective facilities.
III. Preparation and Dissemi nation of Information
A. Basic information regardi ng a high-risk trial include:
1. Name of the high risk def endant(s), charges and holds.
Court Security Division P age 2 of 7 3/09 (REV 6/11) 2. Dates and location of the court proceedings.
3. Special delivery (transportation) precautions. 4. Intelligence information pertaining to:
a. The case. b. The security of the facility.
B. Security planning meetings s hall be conducted to discuss any information
regarding the high-risk trial. Meeting participants may includ e, but not be
limited to, the following:
1. Assistant Commander and/or Sat ellite Facilities Commander.
2. Administrative sergeant, S upport Services sergeant and/or fa cility
sergeant.
3. Court Facility Manager. 4. Outside SSD divisions and/or law enforcement agencies.
C. Dissemination of operational plans shall be shared with pers onnel
assigned to the affected facility in the form of:
1. Written operation plans. 2. Pre-event briefings.
D. Dissemination of operational p lans may be shared with other SSD
divisions and outside agencies as deemed necessary by the Comma nder,
Assistant Commander and/or Satel lite Facilities Commander.
E. Contact with judicial offic ers will be coordinated through t he Division
Commander or his/her designee.
IV. Courtroom Selection
A. Building design and security systems are of paramount import ance in the
selection of a courtroom to prev ent easy access by disruptive, violent, or
armed persons.
B. The following are some secur ity measures to evaluate:
1. Courtroom as remote as possibl e from other working areas of court
operations.
a. Allows better contai nment of a limited area
Court Security Division P age 3 of 7 3/09 (REV 6/11) 2. Control of public access tha t will not disrupt the flow of t raffic to
other areas of the court facility.
a. Barriers that control non-public areas
3. Ability to establish security and identification checkpoints .
4. Secure holding cells ad jacent to the courtroom.
5. One or more secure, alternat e means of entrance and exit to allow
escort of the defendant(s) with minimum exposure to the public.
V. Courtroom Security
A. Security Hearing
1. High-risk trials require the cooperation of the judicial off icer
overseeing the proceeding. A sec urity hearing must be conducte d
to implement measures at the mi nimum level believed to meet the
anticipated threat.
2. The judicial officer should s tate, in writing, the cause and reason for
its need and stipulate t he measures that are to be implemented.
B. Weapon Control
1. At the discretion of the Baili ff, in concurrence with a supe rvisor, all
weapons carried by law enforce ment personnel may be excluded
from the courtroom.
2. Deputies or other uniformed personnel stationed outside the
courtroom in the hallways and adj acent areas will be armed to
ensure protection of the court proceedings.
C. Pre-Inspection of the Courtroom
1. Before the court proceeding , the bailiff and other Court Sec urity
personnel will conduct a thorough search of:
a. The courtroom for weapons, e xplosives and contraband.
(1) Special attention should be made in the seating area
of the defendant(s) for item s that could be used as
weapons.
b. Prisoner holding area adjacent to the courtroom.
c. Other public areas includi ng hallways and wa iting areas in
the vicinity of the courtroom.
Court Security Division P age 4 of 7 3/09 (REV 6/11) 2. The bailiff will ensure all unn ecessary doors and access way s are
locked or guarded.
3. Ideally, the first three rows of seating behind the railing should be
cordoned off and not used for any purpose. However, in smaller
court