If I were to ask you which of those two towns and county seats were, in your opinion, more likely to see some sort of violent acting out by a disgruntled citizen, which would you pick?
Which of those communities is know for suicides, standoffs with police, drugs and crimes involving gun nuts? Which community is known for its film festival, arts scene and thriving downtown?
And finally, which of those two places is actually taking courthouse security somewhat seriously, and taking steps to make their county courthouse more secure, just in case?
PORT TOWNSEND — The Jefferson County Courthouse is implementing new security measures that will require visitors to the second and third floors to go through a security screening and will add high-definition security cameras.
The county has budgeted $270,000 for the upgrades, but it is likely they will come in under budget, according to Mark McCauley, county director of central services.
“It won’t cost nearly that much,” McCauley said.
The most expensive upgrade purchased was a $31,000 walk-through metal detector.
It seems to me like, in Port Townsend, they're more likely to have some loopy hippie want to come in and burn some sage to "purify" the building than they are to see some sort of right-wingnut headcase with a gun make trouble. But they're still taking a "just in case" and "better safe than sorry" approach to security.Ah, but Clallam County, home to bulldozer berserkers, gun hoarding thrice convicted lunatics, "you'll never take me alive!" house barricaders and a host of generally drug-addled, marginal types...Well, Clallam County continues to play fast and loose with public safety - even the safety of their own workers. Rather than be "better safe than sorry," once again, Clallam County is cutting corners and doing it on the cheap, reducing "better safe than sorry" to just plain "sorry."
CK, you should also have pointed out that the Port Townsend courthouse serves a smaller county, and has a smaller budget, yet they still found funds for security.
ReplyDelete$31,000 for a metal detector sounds very reasonable. I'd be willing to bet that Clallam spends more than that a year just on coffee.
Uh, okay. How about if we just say you pointed it out, and call it good? Thank you!
DeleteIt all comes down to thinking and planning versus macho posturing and pandering to far-right budget cutting fetishists. You could also frame this as long-term versus short-term thinking.
ReplyDeleteWith current technology a metal detector is useless other than for finding coins and rings on sandy beaches.
ReplyDeleteWhat is needed is a full blown TSA scanning device that will detect all manner of weaponry including guns, knives ( metal or composit material) gasses, aerosols, liquids and powders.
Personally, I think this goes in the wrong direction. Yes, you're right. There are a lot of wackos in Clallam, and courthouse shootings do occur around the world, but we just have to stop supporting the "Fear Everything" campaigns.
ReplyDeleteRemember that people died from suffocation after the Sept 11 attacks because they were so afraid some terrorist would put a poison gas canister at the intake of their building's air conditioning system, that they sealed themselves inside with plastic sheeting and duct tape.
A couple weeks ago I was traveling in another country, and the newly elected government invite the public into their legislative building to meet the new ministers, heads of State, etc. My partner and I decided o attend. Tens of thousands of people showed up. Wall to wall people. Lines around the block to get inside the beautiful building where their senate sat, debated and voted.
Yes, there were security personnel around. Smiling, and welcoming people in. No metal screeners. No pat downs. No militarized police with heavy weapons. None of the fear.
The event went on for hours. We made our way through the crowds, and shook the hands of a couple of the Ministers, who were surrounded by crowds of the general public. Again, no security keeping the public away. No stern faces. In fact, they handed out ice cream!
The number of shootings and other "terrorist attacks", when viewed in the context of the total population of the county, state, country or world, is minuscule. More people die from falling down stairs.
Yes, the shootings and attacks are terrible. We should be doing more to solve the reasons people resort to those acts, rather than spending so much of our lives and resources trying to anticipate and protect ourselves from them.
As a current example, North Korea is being depicted as an imminent threat to the US. Trump smiles as he tells us "very sophisticated weaponry " is being sold to South Korea and Japan. The US and South Korea have been conducting "live fire military exercises" for months, using fighter jets, tanks, war ships, bombers etc. Last year: "Operation Foal Eagle 2016, which runs from March 7 to April 30, is a massive joint US-South Korean military exercise held in North Korea's backyard." Same thing in 2015.
Geee, I wonder why that "wacko leader" of North Korea feels threatened by the US? For what possible reason could a leader of any country in this situation justify building up it's defenses? Any country doing live fire military exercises off the coast of the US?
Remember that bumper sticker from a while back: "We're making terrorists faster than we can kill them"?
If we don't like the current state of things, as in the fear and uncertainty, then we have to stop creating it.
Being aware and informed is one thing, but living in fear and paranoia is not healthy.
While I 100% agree with not living in fear, I have to say that I don't think it's totally giving in to fear to have security at certain public flashpoints, places where tempers and disagreements can run blindingly, white hot - like courthouses.
DeleteSo, perhaps I'm a little split on this. Because, as you say, we spend WAY too much time, energy and money on illusions of "safety" in this country, when all they do generally (and with any certainty) is breed more fear. But, having been around Clallam County, and the Clallam County Courthouse, I still say it's a matter of "when" not "if" something tragic happens there. I mean, I have been in there when crazy old Willis Gormley would open his briefcase and display his handgun. This is the same guy who got 86'd from Port meetings for being disruptive, and who definitely seemed to be a little unstable in the old brainpan. With a gun. In the courthouse. And he was often very, very angry.
Does seeing what seems like a not-too-difficult-to-believe violent outcome from a scenario like that make me paranoid? Or just aware and informed? Maybe that's the point of debate - where does one cross over from informed worry to paranoia?
In any case, what seems like (you should pardon the expression) overkill in Port Townsend seems like a really good idea for Port Angeles. Different strokes for different folks...
Yes, I agree with you, CK. It's just so tiring to hear or read about more reasons to be afraid. We just have to stop, starting somewhere.
DeleteWe all see and know the trend. It isn't towards more understanding and tolerance. Local police forces, once there to "Serve and Protect", are now aggressive attack units that purposely kill people they perceive as threatening.
Now, seriously. Some poor soul who is mentally ill or doped up on who knows what staggers around with a knife. If they don't drop it, they are shot dead. By heavily armed men in full body armor from a distance of a couple hundred feet. Nobody will convince me that these highly trained officers are actual in any real danger, at that distance.
If they really did care about serving and protecting the people in their community, they would shoot the guy in the leg or shoulder, worst case. Then they can get the help they obviously need, and/or stand trial.
But these days, the police are not about "To serve and Protect", but to intimidate, infiltrate and "neutralize".
And, it just adds fuel to/for the crazy people.
We just have to stop.
Could we install a BS detector in city hall? Of course we'd have to cut a hole in the roof to fit it...
DeleteOn another subject...Are the natives finally waking up, or just being ground down? Today's PDN has one of their Classic Non-news News Stories in it. I'm talking about the one where the Port is talking about the maybe possibly can't tell ya super secret maybe tenant for the old KPly site. It's SO Port Angeles. "We've got a secret! But we can't tell you!" The kind of stupid thing that makes you look foolish - especially when it all falls apart.
ReplyDeleteBut, it's the kind of article that used to generate a ton of "Oh boy!" and "That's great news!" comments in response. Yet, here we are, a full day after said article was posted, and there is only ONE comment - and it's from some disgruntled sexist guy ranting about a certain Port Commissioner.
Hmmm...
So, are the natives wising up, beaten down, or just sick of looking at the PDN's lousy little website?
It's both, because they're the same thing. People know not to trust the PDN, which generally never comes close to the truth, so they avoid the PDN, and start their own rumors on Facebook.
DeleteMeanwhile, back more on subject with law and disorder and all...Here's a little news from your local police department:
ReplyDelete"Police Arrest Subject in Malicious Mischief Case
On September 5, 2017 PAPD Patrol Officers took multiple reports of malicious mischief involving at least five different banking institutions in the city. Their investigation showed that over the weekend, an unknown subject had gone to several ATM’s and had applied super glue to the ATM faces-rendering them inoperable and causing several thousand dollars in damage. The criminal damage also caused inconvenience to community members who were then unable to access their bank accounts for several days.
Officers further discovered that super glue had been applied to the front door locks of numerous businesses in the Downtown and commercial corridor, and several bank windows had been broken.
Officers Jeff Thaxton, Kyle Cooper and Swift Sanchez followed up on and investigated various reported incidents, and this included obtaining video surveillance footage and photos from businesses and interviewing witnesses and potentially involved persons. With the assistance of the Clallam County Sheriff’s Department Corrections Deputies officers were able to identify a suspect.
The subject seen in the video footage and photos applying super glue to ATM machines was identified as Charles Johnson, 65 years old and from Port Angeles. Officers were able to locate Johnson and take him into custody. He was booked into the Clallam County Jail on multiple counts of second degree malicious mischief and criminal sabotage.
The investigation into this 48 hour crime spree is continuing. Officers are asking for information from community members."
I would say that this lawless grandpappy fits right in to the whole "tragedy waiting to happen" hypothesis. I mean, dads are driving and doing meth with their infants in the car, while grandpas are doing super glue vandalism. I wonder if he was sniffing said glue too?
I also wonder if the PA Police Department knows that you don't need an apostrophe in "ATMs"?
Apparently Sheriff Andy & Barney Fife saw fit to release him, and he immediately recommenced his spree by stealing. Alot of crimes around here are let go because the jails are often full, but really? They couldn't tell he had mental problems the first time around?
DeletePer this article, a walk-through metal detector costs $31,000.
ReplyDeleteThere are over 70,000 people in Clallam County.
So, my takeaway from this is that our county commissioners and administrator value each county resident at less than fifty cents. I mean, if they won't spend half a buck apiece on us, on our safety, how much does anyone really think they care?
A basic metal detector? $31,000.
DeleteAvoiding bloodshed and lawsuits? Priceless.