$600,000 to boost to security around King County Courthouse

The Metropolitan King County Council, at a meeting Wednesday morning, will take up a $600,000 emergency appropriation to boost security around the King County Courthouse.

The busy Third Avenue entrance to the courthouse was ordered closed last week, at least until Jan. 2, due to complaints of assault, the latest a November 27 attack at which a public defender was punched and knocked to the ground.

The emergency money, proposed by Council Chair Rod Dembowski, would be split three ways.

--$200,000 would go for two deputies to provide on-street "security enhancement" at the courthouse.

--$200,000 and authority for three additional full-time employees to provide two additional screeners and one marshall to keep the 4th Avenue security entrance open consistently.

--$200,000 to the Department of Community and Human services to provide outreach workers to connect those around the courthouse with services and resources.

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The Third Avenue closure was announced last week by King County Superior Court Judge James E. Rogers. "The safety conditions at the 3rd Avenue entrance to the courthouse have deteriorated," Rogers said. "This court receives constant reports of assaults committed against litigants, jurors, attorneys, members of the public and employees."

At a Council meeting Tuesday, Rogers added: "I want to say that when the problem is not addressed, which is why we closed the courthouse -- taking that extreme step -- justice is endangered."

"Tragedy awaits if the status quo is maintained," King County Superior Court Judge O'Donnell said.