Before taking office as County Judge in 2023, Keith Lutz spent a decade as Medina County’s fire marshal and emergency management coordinator (EMC).
In 2017, while working on a mass notification system for the county, Lutz looked into the addition of security cameras at the courthouse. At that time, Lutz learned just how antiquated the county’s security system was. Generally speaking, an activated panic button triggered a message over a handheld radio that communicated, “Come to the courthouse.” Responders had no idea what the emergency was or where they should respond within the courthouse, Lutz recalled.
Fast forward to today, and Medina County is home to a sophisticated situational-based alerting and access control system that not only tells responders exactly where to go within the courthouse, but grants recognized responders immediate access via uniquely programmed access keys.
All law enforcement within the area network including sheriff’s deputies, constables, police departments, and the Department of Public Safety have access keys. When a button is pressed changing the situation from “normal” to “threat,” a recorded broadcast along with a backup text and email explaining the exact location of the threat are sent to responders, and the access rights of those responders are changed giving them immediate access to that facility. A second set of texts and emails is sent to employees letting them know the building is in lockdown and to take appropriate action; the message does not specify the exact threat.
During a threat, every public door is locked, anything unlocked within the building is locked, and only responders are able to enter. For instance, the district judge returning from lunch may no longer be granted access to enter the building and unknowingly walk into danger; however, the policeman or sheriff’s deputy will be able to walk in immediately, Lutz explained. There are no more brass keys to the courthouse, meaning no one with an old or duplicated key can enter.
No one has to wait for someone to come unlock a door, Lutz reiterated. In addition, no one has to wait for someone else to point the way. For example, the text/email to responders might read, “Respond to the County Judge’s Room 250 on the second floor of the annex located at…” Once the threat is resolved and the situation is returned to normal, an “all clear” message is sent to county staff, and the access keys of those responders no longer grant unlimited access to that building.
Medina County also made a large investment to upgrade the county’s public safety radio system impacting law enforcement and fire/EMS, including the dispatch center, over the past several years, Lutz said. The new system has allowed responders to have handheld radio coverage in the building during a response.
When it comes to cost, Lutz said it is difficult to cite an exact figure, as counties can choose to implement as few or as many security measures as possible. Some counties have large square footage to cover and include annexes, while others have a smaller space to protect.
Texas counties do have access to a Courthouse Security Fund. Medina County’s current fund balance is a little over $69,000.
“We are a medium-sized county,” Lutz observed. “It took us time to implement a full-blown system, and there are still places to upgrade. You bite off parts as you can. You can get there.”
Accommodations can be made to address a county’s specific needs. For example, several Medina County employees voiced their preference to keep doors open with doorstops to promote a welcoming environment. However, this would require someone to physically remove the doorstops during a threat response. The problem was solved by using magnetic hold-release devices to keep doors open. When a threat occurs, no one has to rush to remove a doorstop. Rather, the magnets are released, and doors automatically close and lock.
Launch Point
Lutz approached the Commissioners Court about improving security back in 2017 when he was the EMC. Soon after, Medina County signed an interlocal agreement to join the Alliance for Community Solutions Ltd. (ACS), https://www.youracs.org/, to implement its security system.
ACS describes itself as “a group of hundreds of communities working together to help each other.” In 2011, members of the interlocal program created a non-profit organization with the goal of helping communities across the U.S. prepare for and recover from disasters.
Joining the Alliance is free, said Joe Abrams, ACS executive director. Members share their needs with ACS, who then works with the jurisdiction on a solution, which can include assessment, design, procurement, integration, monitoring, and other administrative functions as detailed in the interlocal agreement.
“Our specialty is rural communities,” Abrams stated. “These jurisdictions face limited resources; they come to us with their requests, and we do our best to find the right solutions.”
ACS is currently monitoring some 2,000 separate yet connected devices in the Medina County network, Abrams reported.
Lutz, an ACS governing board member, came to ACS in the last year to ask for assistance with election security.
“The Judge requested a portable system that could be used at polling places in case of emergencies, similar to the situational-based system in the courthouse,” Abrams explained. ACS developed a small box for each polling location that connects to the security network via cellular service, allowing a poll worker to report a threat by pressing a wearable button that’s included in the box. Similar to the courthouse, a voice broadcast along with a text and email are sent sharing the exact location with responders.
Medina County is currently working with ACS on firefighter access, which will be rolled out this summer, and will likely work toward incorporating flood monitoring and response.
The courthouse situational-based system was put to the test while Lutz was still EMC. A county court at law judge was preparing to sentence a third-time offender. The defendant forced his way through the secretary’s office and into the judge’s chambers. The secretary pushed the button, triggering a threat situation. A city police officer was writing a ticket nearby. He received the text, used his access key card to enter the now-locked county building, and the situation was neutralized, all within 60 seconds.
Fortunately, since Lutz has been County Judge the system has not had a repeat test like the real-world incident above. However, an accidental trigger by an employee did provide a firsthand look at the response scenario, which went exactly as planned.
When it comes to courthouse security, the Medina County system addresses three top security priorities, Lutz said:
- The sheriff and other responders need the quickest notification possible.
- Responders need immediate access.
- All parties need to be able to talk to each other and back to dispatch.
“If you accomplish instant notification, access, and communication, you will improve the outcome,” Lutz concluded.
