The county will request bids for 15 bulletproof windows that will be installed at the district judges' offices.

John Campbell, county's director of facilities and operations, told the commissioners at their Wednesday meeting that the windows will be installed in the service counters at each of the county's seven district judge offices.

The bid request is for materials only, which will be paid through an ongoing safety program of the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts.

Campbell expects the total cost to be less than $50,000. There will be no cost to the county.

Campbell said the Evans City office of District Judge Wayne Seibel has already been outfitted with two bulletproof windows.

He said the six other district judges came to Seibel's office to look at the setup — and approved.

Some modifications will be made to the existing service counters to accommodate the new windows, Campbell said.

He said the request for bid includes 11 3-foot-by-3-foot and four 25-inch-by-36-inch bulletproof windows.

Tom Holman, county's court administrator, said the project might be finished by the end of the year. Other AOPC-funded safety projects completed in the county include the installation of ballistic panels, cameras and lighting.

“The AOPC has recognized that the district judges' offices across the commonwealth are often sitting by themselves in an unprotected manner,” Holman said. “This effort is to make a safer workplace for the staff at the district judges' offices.”