Courthouse Access Restricted

Access to the Spokane County Courthouse is now available only through the west and north entrances.

The front, or south, entrance was closed Monday because it does not comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act and leaves the assessor’s office vulnerable to visitors able to bypass security officers by using other entrances.

A private security firm, Olympic Security, was hired starting July 3 to operate a metal detector originally at the front entrance.

The security was in response to a shooting in King County and to comply with a state law that bars firearms in courtrooms. To secure courtrooms, the county had to seal the entire courthouse, said sheriff’s Lt. Doug Silver.

Most of the county’s parking for the handicapped, as well as a ramp to the building, are located on the west side, Silver said. The north side, which also has a metal detector, has a cafeteria entrance.

, DataTimes