Security At Berrien County Courthouse To Be Reviewed

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Security procedures at the Berrien County Courthouse will be reviewed following Monday’s fatal shootings. Berrien County Chief Judge Gary Bruce says a report will be done, and all of the right questions will be asked in the coming weeks. Speaking to WSJM Tuesday, he said questions about handcuffing practices and other security-related matters at the courthouse will be addressed soon

“As quickly as we can, we are going to be up and running again,” Bruce said. “We are going to do everything that we can do to ensure that the courthouse is safe for everyone because everybody, sooner or later, will be in that courthouse for something as simple as jury duty, being a witness, taking care of a traffic ticket, having some kind of hearing regarding children, all sorts of things.”

Meanwhile, the Berrien County Courthouses in both St. Joseph and Niles will be shut down to the public again on Wednesday. Personnel will report to work and have grief counselors on hand. Two security officers at the courthouse in St. Joseph were killed Monday when an inmate being led out of a courtroom grabbed an officer’s gun. Two others were also shot and are recovering.