Security to Be Tightened At Comanche County Courthouse

During Monday's Comanche County Commissioner's meeting Monday night, Central District Commissioner Johnny Owens announced that measures are to be put in place at the Comanche County Courthouse, in order to tighten security in the building.

According to Owens, county officers have been working on tightening security for about two years, and the current plan is to have tighter measures in place by no later than mid-September. One measure already in place is a closed circuit TV system that is used to monitor and conduct arraignments in all seven courtrooms.

The county has already owns two X-ray machines, currently stored in the basement of the courthouse. The equipment will need to be professionally calibrated before the new system goes in place. The best position for the security equipment has yet to be determined, though it will be inside the west entrance, while the other three entrances to the building will be locked.

The increased measures are similar to those that were in place between 2005 and 2010, but they were eliminated because of the cost and effort required to keep the equipment in working order. At the time it was felt the x-ray machines were unwarranted due to other security measures in place at the courthouse.

source: the Lawton Constitution