PHILADELPHIA, PA - Municipal judges in the city of Philadelphia are ordering the city sheriff to take action amid what they describe as an escalating series of security incidents in their courtrooms.
The group of judges cite what they call “systemic failures” in a court order authored by President Judge Nina Wright Padilla, according to the Associated Press.
They point to 72 different security issues in their courtrooms last year- and expect to count an even higher total in 2024, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. The judges are tasking Sheriff Rochelle Bilal with implementing a security plan to alleviate the security problems, as courtroom security services and prisoner transport fall under her area of responsibility in the jurisdiction.
In one notable incident, two individuals engaged in a brawl at the Philadelphia Family Court in October- with a lone security officer seemingly powerless to break up the fight and secure the courtroom.
"Such security failures are an imminent threat to the safety and health of all persons present in the courthouses, courtrooms and court facilities,” the judges said of the problems blighting their courtrooms, according to WHYY.
The courtroom staffing issue has led to the delay of court proceedings- a development that comes at a cost to family members and interested parties with important business in the court system,
“The emotional cost to victims’ and defendants’ families waiting for hours for their opportunities to give victim impact testimony or address the court is unquantifiable," Common Pleas Judge Barbara McDermott said of the situation.
Under the court order, Sheriff Bilal is required to submit the court security plan to the courts within thirty days, and implement it within ninety days.
Bilal has pointed to what she identifies as a short-staffed agency as a problem behind the situation, calling on Philadelphia's city government to provide her with a 30 percent increase in funding. Some have questioned this explanation, pointing to a decreased volume in Philadelphia's courtrooms in the years following the coronavirus pandemic.
Bilal's response to the judges' court order isn't immediately clear. Some have even suggested that the judges could remove Bilal from office, in what would amount to a significant escalation from the existing plan to spur the sheriff into developing a new courtroom security plan.
The group of judges cite what they call “systemic failures” in a court order authored by President Judge Nina Wright Padilla, according to the Associated Press.
They point to 72 different security issues in their courtrooms last year- and expect to count an even higher total in 2024, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. The judges are tasking Sheriff Rochelle Bilal with implementing a security plan to alleviate the security problems, as courtroom security services and prisoner transport fall under her area of responsibility in the jurisdiction.
In one notable incident, two individuals engaged in a brawl at the Philadelphia Family Court in October- with a lone security officer seemingly powerless to break up the fight and secure the courtroom.
"Such security failures are an imminent threat to the safety and health of all persons present in the courthouses, courtrooms and court facilities,” the judges said of the problems blighting their courtrooms, according to WHYY.
The courtroom staffing issue has led to the delay of court proceedings- a development that comes at a cost to family members and interested parties with important business in the court system,
“The emotional cost to victims’ and defendants’ families waiting for hours for their opportunities to give victim impact testimony or address the court is unquantifiable," Common Pleas Judge Barbara McDermott said of the situation.
Under the court order, Sheriff Bilal is required to submit the court security plan to the courts within thirty days, and implement it within ninety days.
Bilal has pointed to what she identifies as a short-staffed agency as a problem behind the situation, calling on Philadelphia's city government to provide her with a 30 percent increase in funding. Some have questioned this explanation, pointing to a decreased volume in Philadelphia's courtrooms in the years following the coronavirus pandemic.
Bilal's response to the judges' court order isn't immediately clear. Some have even suggested that the judges could remove Bilal from office, in what would amount to a significant escalation from the existing plan to spur the sheriff into developing a new courtroom security plan.
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Comments
2025-01-02T12:18-0500 | Comment by: thomas
The officers in the court rooms are out of shape and old who couldn't do anything anyway