WAYNE COUNTY, Mich. – Wayne County has hired armed private security officers to protect its courts due to staffing shortages at the sheriff’s office.
Wayne County Sheriff’s deputies handle security at the courthouses, but the county has hired a private firm to help fill open positions.
“We’re thankful for the security that we have, but it’s not enough,” Executive Court Administrator Frank Hardester said.
Hardester said the low staffing levels have been an ongoing problem, leading to security concerns within the courts.
Like an airport needs TSA, Hardester said courts need security officers.
“We get threats through the mail, letters are sent to judges to their personal addresses, we get bomb scares, we have assaults that happen,” Hardester said.
Hardester said they’re down roughly 50 security officers at their courts due to low staffing levels at the sheriff’s office.
“Late last fall, security levels were to a point where cases could not proceed,” Hardester said. “When you start to impact due process, that’s problematic for us.”
The court asked the county to hire an outside security firm to help fill these positions.
Last week, Wayne County Commissioners approved the request amid backlash from the Wayne County Sheriff’s Union.
“Our Union views the entire situation and how it’s been carried out as union-busting,” Union president Cpl. Allen Cox said.
Cox said the private security officers hired will be paid more than deputies for the same service.
Wayne County commissioners considered the union’s objections when approving the contract.
The $4.9 million contract with Allied Universal Security will expire in one year.
Commissioners and Hardester said the hope is for staffing levels at the Sheriff’s Office to improve so the outside contract will not need to be renewed.
“I think one of the commissioners said it best,” Hardester said. “It’s a difficult situation, and you’re damned if you do, damned if you don’t. But they have to do something.”
Under the contract, 61 private security officers have been hired, 17 starting on Tuesday (April 2).