HUTCHINSON -Reno County Sheriff Randy Henderson has written a response to an editorial by the Hutchinson Newspaper.
The title of the editorial published on September 13, is “Warning: Security Level at Courthouse at DEFCON 1”.
According to the sheriff, the newspaper is critical of the measures being taken to secure the Reno County courthouse.
Henderson wrote the following on social media: I have been in Law Enforcement 40 years and have a lot of experience with securing venues.
But even if you ignore my qualifications, the Reno County Courthouse and Law Enforcement Center have been assessed by both Homeland Security and the United States Marshal’s Service. Both of those evaluations call for more security than what we are currently proposing.
The original plan for the 1st floor of the Courthouse, after the non-court functions moved out, were that the District Court Offices were going to move there. This would put all the clerks in one spot, allow for a 2nd jury room to be constructed on the 3rdfloor and would limit foot traffic on the 3rd floor where inmates still walk through the public hallway. Unfortunately the County and the Court System could not come to an agreement as to how this could be accomplished, thus it sits vacate for now. I might add that I had been trying to secure the Courthouse for over 10 years, however, the County Commission would not allow that to happen until the non-court functions were moved out.
The Hutch News wants people to believe that just because the non-court functions are gone, no one comes to the Courthouse anymore. They don’t see it because the citizens are usually on the upper floors of the Courthouse and in the Law Enforcement Center. Most citizens now enter through the Law Enforcement Center and not the front of the Courthouse. When the main entrance of the Courthouse becomes the only entrance for both buildings, everyone will be coming in the same door and traffic will greatly pickup in the Courthouse.
In 2017, if the Reno County Courthouse doesn’t have manned/armed security, utilizing electronic security measures, we’ll have to allow guns to be carried into the Courthouse. The Courthouse is a place where some people come because they didn’t follow the rules. You put adversaries in a room together and let them say bad things about each other; you can expect disagreements, disturbances and fights. (Yes this has happened time to time).
Our Courthouse is unique that it is 75,000 square feet, with 5 different Courtrooms housing 6 different Courts. The Courtrooms are spread out from being located in the Law Enforcement Center, to the first floor of the Courthouse, two on the 3rd floor and the Juvenile, Probate and Mental Health cases on the 4th floor. We will have 2 private security persons checking people coming in and scanning bags, briefcases etc. A Certified Sheriff’s Deputy will back them up from a position where he can watch the camera monitors (Hutch News reported they would not be monitored). I have lost a roving officers position that would check doors if persons exited through “Emergency Only” exits. This is to make sure they are not picking up a gun from outside or letting someone in that hasn’t passed through security. This rover would have also be present in courtrooms to take persons sentenced to jail into custody. With the loss of that position, the courts will need to call down to our office and hopefully there is someone available to go to the courtroom and take them into custody. It takes a deputy away from their job and causes a potential issue in the court if the person decides to flee the courtroom or worse yet, act aggressively before an officer can arrive.
The Hutch News seems to downplay the serious incidents that we have had at our Courthouse. Granted these events have taken place over a 40 year period, but there are very few Courthouses around the country that have had these types of issues. I was present for each one of these except the grenade in the Courtroom. I can assure you each one could have ended tragically. WE HAVE BEEN LUCKY.
Past History of Violence at the Reno Co Law Enforcement Center and Courthouse
1975, a Reno Co Jailer was taken hostage at the backdoor of the Law Enforcement Center by an individual with a rifle. The jailer was able to disarm the individual of the rifle but then the subject pulled a handgun on him. He was brought around the front of the LEC and into the Lobby. Then Sheriff’s Deputy Dick Heitschmidt saw what was going on and along with officers from HPD they were able to disarm the suspect. The suspect simply wanted to go to jail and was intoxicated.
April 30th, 1985 – Attorney For Legal Aide was trying to assist a man in the Legal Services office on the 2nd floor of the Courthouse. The man wanted to be sent to the Larned Mental Health Facility. When the Attorney told him that he would have to go to court and have a Care and Treatment done, he jumped up, put her in a chokehold and pulled a penknife on her. Ironically, Tim Chambers, who was working in the County Attorneys office at the time, was nearby and talked the subject down. The suspect went to Larned as he wanted.
June 6th, 1986 – suspect J. D. Jennings – neighbors of Jennings called Law Enforcement and advised that he had been making and setting off explosive devices at his home recently. Jennings was scheduled to appear in Judge Steve Beckers courtroom the next day to be sentenced on theft from a rental apartment. Reno County Sheriff’s Detectives Mike Lucia and Scott Powell met Jennings on the front steps of the courthouse when he came to court. Jennings opened a coat that he had on and showed two pipe bombs on his chest. After several hours of negotiation failed, Jennings was shot and killed by a police sniper. It was believed that if he was sentenced to jail, that Jennings was going to detonate the device in an attempt to kill himself and Judge Becker. Actually, the day before this event, Jennings was sitting in then Judge Buck Lyles office, with his coat on, believing he had court that day, only to find out it was the 6th.
Approximately 2 weeks before that, Jennings was coming to court and was searched in the courtroom because of intelligence information about him. A homemade gun frame was found on him then. It was believed that he was going to try to take the judge hostage in hopes of being killed by suicide by cop.
August 27, 2002 – Individual high on controlled substance had been involved in a disturbance with his ex-wife in another state. A be on the lookout order had been given to area law enforcement because Suspect was making threatening statements when he left his ex. Suspect proceeded to theLaw Enforcement Center and drove his car over the curb directly to the front doors. He ran into the LEC, up the stairs and grabbed a new teacher waiting to get fingerprinted for her teaching certificate. The suspect started yelling that he was going to kill “her” and that he had a bomb. He had a black shaving kit that he was transferring from hand to hand. Several officers from the police dept and our office lined up in both hallways on opposite sides of The suspect and jumped him. He was taken into custody after a scuffle in the lobby. He was charged with Kidnapping and Criminal Threat. No bomb was found.
Dec. 2009 – A Defense Attorney brings a fake grenade into the courtroom and asks the jury if they are intimidated (prior to telling them it was a fake). He even pulled the pin before identifying that it was a fake.
March 2010 – Individual has 2 concealed handguns in his coat, in Judge Chambers Courtroom, during a child custody case. Subject was going to be found in contempt of court and Law Enforcement was alerted to come to Chambers Courtroom. When Deputies entered and Judge Chambers advised that Subject was to be placed in custody and he immediately leaned over reaching inside his shirt. Capt. Scott Powell and Undersheriff Sheldon Steward grabbed The subject who had both hands on two guns in his waistband.
There have been at least 3 other very serious incidents, over the past 6 years, that can’t be disclosed due to security and arrestsnot being made.
The money for the camera system was budgeted for and the voters of Reno County approved the package deal. The addition of the storage for the cameras is being paid for by the District Court.
I totally agree with the Hutchinson News that the new Courthouse Annex needs security as well. The difference is that the people that come to the Courthouse have proven they will break the law or they probably would not be here.
Just some clarification.
Sheriff Henderson
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