By Jim Reece - The 2007-08 Amador County Grand Jury criticized the location of the newly remodeled courthouse in the John Begovich Building on Argonaut Lane and called it risky to schoolchildren and neighborhoods. Responses from the Amador County Sheriff’s Office and the Amador County Board of Supervisors were submitted to Judge Susan C. Harlan on September 24th. The Grand Jury found that it “would be more advantageous to relocate the courthouse centrally,” in proximity to the County Jail and District Attorney’s office. The Sheriff’s Office agreed, writing that “it would be operationally more efficient,” to reduce transportation time for correctional officers. The report said 500 children could be at risk from “an active shooter incident emanating from the courthouse.” The Sheriff’s Office disagreed partially, noting the 3 full-time, fully trained deputies worked courthouse security, supplemented by contract deputies. But the Sheriff acknowledged that there have been “numerous active shooter incidents initiated at schools with tragic results due to the lack of an immediate law enforcement response.” As per location, the Sheriff’s Office disagreed partially, noting that the former courthouse stood for many years in a residential and business area of downtown Jackson, “within a very short distance of Jackson Elementary School,” yet the Sheriff’s Office did not recall there ever having been an incident emanating from the courthouse that impacted either residents, businesses or the school. Supervisors disagreed with the complaints, noting that the review of the Amador Superior Courthouse was not within the jurisdiction of the Grand Jury, because the court is an entity of the state of California, which took over trial court responsibility starting in 1997. Supervisors said they were “not responsible for the location of the courthouse.” In regards to the risky location in proximity to the school, Supervisors said the same, but also noted that the renovation and refurbishing of the Begovich Building, for use as the courthouse, was approved by the State Administrative Office of the Courts.
Monday, 06 October 2008 18:00
Location of Courthouse Under Scrutiny
By Jim Reece - The 2007-08 Amador County Grand Jury criticized the location of the newly remodeled courthouse in the John Begovich Building on Argonaut Lane and called it risky to schoolchildren and neighborhoods. Responses from the Amador County Sheriff’s Office and the Amador County Board of Supervisors were submitted to Judge Susan C. Harlan on September 24th. The Grand Jury found that it “would be more advantageous to relocate the courthouse centrally,” in proximity to the County Jail and District Attorney’s office. The Sheriff’s Office agreed, writing that “it would be operationally more efficient,” to reduce transportation time for correctional officers. The report said 500 children could be at risk from “an active shooter incident emanating from the courthouse.” The Sheriff’s Office disagreed partially, noting the 3 full-time, fully trained deputies worked courthouse security, supplemented by contract deputies. But the Sheriff acknowledged that there have been “numerous active shooter incidents initiated at schools with tragic results due to the lack of an immediate law enforcement response.” As per location, the Sheriff’s Office disagreed partially, noting that the former courthouse stood for many years in a residential and business area of downtown Jackson, “within a very short distance of Jackson Elementary School,” yet the Sheriff’s Office did not recall there ever having been an incident emanating from the courthouse that impacted either residents, businesses or the school. Supervisors disagreed with the complaints, noting that the review of the Amador Superior Courthouse was not within the jurisdiction of the Grand Jury, because the court is an entity of the state of California, which took over trial court responsibility starting in 1997. Supervisors said they were “not responsible for the location of the courthouse.” In regards to the risky location in proximity to the school, Supervisors said the same, but also noted that the renovation and refurbishing of the Begovich Building, for use as the courthouse, was approved by the State Administrative Office of the Courts.
