Mn House Minority Leader Seifert: Soft on Security?

This news comes from outside of the First, but unfortunately, his Republican leadership position gives state rep. Marty Seifert influence across Minnesota.

We had been puzzled the other day when we read this article in the Redwood Fall Gazette: Seifert to 'look into' court order in which he thought a metal detector in a courthouse was all about him:

When Rep. Marty Seifert walked into the Redwood County commissioner's room Tuesday the first question out of his mouth had to do with the new security system on the third floor.

"Is there a murder trial going on?" Seifert queried.

Seifert was then informed of the court order from Fifth District Court Chief Judge George Harrelson, which placed a metal detector on the third floor and required the Redwood County Sheriff's Department to man it Monday through Friday during regular business hours.

"I appreciate the security you put up for me," said Seifert to the county board.

Yeah, it's all about him on Planet Seifert. An article in Seifert's hometown paper looks into the matter in Judge’s concerns lead to tightened security:

An order to secure the third floor, including the courtroom of the Redwood County courthouse, wasn’t done for Rep. Marty Seifert’s benefit, but for the protection of those in the courthouse.

The security in Redwood County could be found in other county courthouses in the Fifth District in the future, said Fifth District Court Chief Judge George Harrelson, who serves as a judge in the Lyon County District Court.

Harrelson said he issued an order for a metal detector and security person to be on the third floor at courthouse at the request of court officials.

“They confiscated four knives in a few days,” Harrelson said of the security system recently installed.

Harrelson issued the order because of a specific threat and ongoing security concerns:

The security order in Redwood County came because of a recent threat, Harrelson said, but discussions of inadequate security at the courthouse have taken place over the years.

Similar discussions have happened in regard to courtrooms in other Fifth District counties such as Lyon and Lincoln, Harrelson said.

“Right now, we have a security committee looking into this,” Harrelson said. “There is not a decision yet if all of southwest Minnesota will have a similar (order).”

Yet, “at some time in the not too distance future I believe there will be a blanket order for all of southwest Minnesota,” Harrelson said.

The security system in the Redwood County courthouse could be viewed as pilot project for southwest Minnesota, Harrelson said.

Safety concerns aren’t just prompted by criminal cases, Harrelson said.

Some of the most contentious issues are divorce cases and even probate cases, Harrelson said.

“You never know, there is a lot of high anxiety when they come into a courtroom,” Harrelson said of people involved in a court case. “At least three or four times a year I have people so upset I have to contact the court administrator to get a sheriff’s deputy into the court room.”

The security issue has been raised in brief discussions at Lyon County Board meetings in the past few years as commissioners have noted security increasing in other counties.

Harrelson said the Eighth Judicial District, which includes Yellow Medicine County, has a blanket order requiring security in the court room areas. In Lyon County, a deputy or police officer will accompany a defendant in custody to court and inside a courtroom.

Marty needs to get out more, say to the Eighth Judicial District, if he's never heard of security orders. Judge Harrelson offered to give Seifert a free lesson:

Harrelson also said in the letter to the editor that “I am sorry that Rep. Seifert found my order ‘odd.’ I would be glad to discuss with him the jurisdiction of the Judicial Branch of state government.”

Harrelson said he understands that county officials don’t like what could be called unfunded mandates from the state. Counties, however, are responsible for providing security for the courts, Harrelson said.

The security system in Redwood County is working, Harrelson said.

Harrelson said a public defender told him Wednesday that two more knives were confiscated in Redwood County that day.

The judge is too kind to Marty. We're not sure whether he needs to be sentenced to 90 days of watching "Law and Order" reruns or a distance learning course in law enforcement. Perhaps the Danielson School of Adult Education could consider adding yet another program to its burgeoning catalogue of remedial education for Minnesota's Republican leaders.