Justin AngelThe 12th Judicial District has received more than $160,000 in grant funding for courthouse security upgrades and improvements, with Grundy County getting the lion's share at more than $51,000.
Twelfth Judicial District Circuit Court Judge Justin Angel said five of six counties in the district received some of the $160,745 in state grant money. Franklin County's facilities already meet minimum standards and didn't need the funds, while Bledsoe, Marion, Rhea and Sequatchie got smaller amounts for upgrades to meet minimum standards.
Angel, a member of the Tennessee Judicial Conference Courtroom Security Committee, was able to facilitate the grants for district courthouses, he said.
Grundy County Sheriff Clint Shrum and Grundy County General Sessions Judge Trey Anderson filed the application in Grundy, netting $51,840 that was awarded Dec. 1, Shrum said.
"This grant will allow inmates to be arraigned at the detention center," Shrum said. "By implementing this system, correctional officers will not be required to make as many transports to and from the courtroom."
A portion of the grant also funds more surveillance cameras.
"The surveillance system will enhance our ability to closely monitor activity and proceedings at the courthouse," he said.
A 10 percent match has been approved by the Grundy County Commission, Shrum said.
Existing surveillance cameras at the courthouse came in handy in July 2017 when a Franklin County nurse was accused of attempting to leave behind a fentanyl patch for an inmate. The patch, which delivers a strong painkiller, had been stuck to a door frame at an entrance used to bring prisoners into the courthouse. Currently installed cameras were used to identify the woman who ended up being charged.
Angel said Rhea County got the second-largest grant at $40,103 for items for a planned new justice center, and Sequatchie County got $29,375 for a new X-ray machine and new magnetometer. Bledsoe County got $9,481 and Marion County got $29,946 for new security equipment and communications upgrades.
The 10-percent match grant requirement was waived for Bledsoe, Rhea and Sequatchie counties, the judge said.
Angel said the primary goal of security funding is to have a bulletproof judge's bench in all the state's courtrooms and panic alarms on judges' benches and in all county circuit court clerk's offices that are linked to the local sheriff's department.
Angel said sheriff's clerks and court clerks in each of the district counties were instrumental in gathering the data needed for grant applications.
"The judges and sheriffs in the 12th Judicial District take security very seriously," Angel said. "We want a safe environment for court personnel, litigants, jurors and the public at large."
Contact staff writer Ben Benton at bbenton@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6569. Follow him on Twitter @BenBenton or at www.facebook.com/benbenton1.