Official Fuming About Security Changes Bonner Commissioner Wants Judge Tossed Out

A judge’s order to increase security at the Bonner County Courthouse has raised the ire of one county official and a few constituents.

Bonner County Commissioner Bud Mueller called for the ouster of 1st District Judge James Michaud for having a metal detector moved to the courthouse entrance.

“We need to get rid of that man, people,” Mueller said during a commissioners meeting Thursday. The metal detector used to be located on the top of the stairs to the second floor, where most of the courtrooms are located. However, one large courtroom is located on the main floor, just inside the entrance to the courthouse.

Michaud had the detector moved to the court entrance last week without explanation. Michaud said it’s his policy not to discuss security policies, except that, “I’ve done these things for legitimate security reasons.”

Mueller said the action was based on an unreasonable fear of the public.

“It’s an invasion of everybody’s rights and it should be back upstairs,” Mueller declared.

“You can’t purchase security by getting rid of your liberties,” said one man who attended the meeting and declined to give his name.

While Commissioner Dale Van Stone said he was disappointed that Michaud had not consulted commissioners, he said he didn’t have a problem with the metal detector being at the front entrance.

“Some people are ticking time bombs out there,” Van Stone said. County employees have to deal with potentially dangerous people every day, he added.

Besides, he said, you still can get into the courthouse. Van Stone added that he would not support hiring more employees to staff the detector.

A letter in support of the move signed by about two dozen courthouse employees was delivered to the commissioners office earlier this week.

Deputy Prosecutor John Topp told commissioners Michaud has the power to enforce security within the courts, and because a courtroom is located by the courthouse entrance, “He’s within his rights to place that anywhere he wants.”

While the commissioners debated the move, a bailiff outside their doors politely asked people to walk through the detector.

“Sir, you have to go through the detector,” he said to one flannel-shirted man. “And it looks like you have a bunch of knives.”

The man left his knives with the bailiff and went about his business. They were returned to him when he left.

The bailiffs are discovering about 30 knives a day, said Mark Johnson, chief bailiff. They’ve also found live ammunition.

Johnson said most people are supportive of the change.

“They’re sorry to see it, but they understand why it’s needed,” he said.

In other business, the commissioners tabled an agenda item to discuss a request from Oldtown, Idaho, to piggyback onto a county bid for crushed gravel after they’ve actually used the gravel.

Mueller and Van Stone have asked the county prosecutor to investigate whether Commissioner Brian Orr broke any laws by allegedly giving Oldtown permission to take county gravel for a street project.