County beefs up safety at district judge offices
District judge offices in Butler County are getting beefed up security with the installation of ballistic panels. Bullet-resistant glass is to be installed later.
“It's sad that it's necessary to take these steps, but it's what we need to do to protect our employees,” said Tom Holman, Butler County's deputy court administrator.
County workers Monday were at the office of District Judge William Fullerton in Butler to begin work to install the bullet-resistant panels at the front counter. Panels are also being installed on the judge's bench in the courtroom.
The office of District Judge Wayne Seibel in Evans City underwent a similar renovation last month.
Later, Holman said, the county's other five district judge offices will be fitted with the ballistic panels.
The money for the work is coming from a $28,000 state grant through the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts.
The state funding to strengthen security was earmarked in wake of a shooting last year at a district judge office in Fayette County.
Authorities said in that incident on Sept. 19, 61-year-old Patrick Dowdell entered the office in Masontown shortly after 2 p.m. with a handgun and opened fire, injuring four people, including a police officer.
An officer in the same building fired back, killing Dowdell.
The gunman was apparently there for his preliminary hearing on charges connected to a domestic violence incident.
State police said he was not targeting the judge or court employees.
Holman noted that before that shooting, the county had been discussing plans to improve the security at the district judge offices.
Some type of bullet-resistant or specialized glass is also to be installed at the front counter at Seibel's office. A timetable has not been set.
“We're experimenting with bank teller-type windows,” Holman said of the plan for the glass. “We'll see how that works, and decide how to proceed with the other (district judge) offices.”
