Logan County looks at how video conferencing in the courts could save money and improve security

 

[September 17, 2019] 

At the Logan County Board Workshop on Thursday, September 12, board members heard from Judge Jonathan Wright about setting up a video conferencing system at the courthouse.

Wright said he had brought up the issue previously that by state statute, there are certain types of cases where an individual who has been charged with a crime and is in custody pre-trial detention can have a court appearance done by way of video conferencing.

Right now, on a felony or misdemeanor court date, Wright said the sheriff must pull a deputy off the road to take prisoners back and forth three at time. Each are called in one at a time and once their cases are done, the deputy takes them back and gets more prisoners. Wright said it is time consuming and the court waits until the next three get over to the courthouse.

Liability issues are another concern. Wright said in winter, a shackled prisoner may hit an icy patch on the concrete steps and fall.

There are also efficiency issues in the courtroom and Wright said he looked at that problem with the chief judge and Sheriff Mark Landers prior to the third-floor problems. When things happened on the third floor, they shut the discussion down due to not being sure what was going to happen in terms of whether to restore the building or do something different.

With the position the board has taken, and the understanding that if the referendum passes it would still be sometime after that the county would have a fully restored courthouse, Wright said he wanted to reinitiate the conversation on video conferencing.

For several years, the officials did not think video conferencing would even be possible because putting a dedicated line between the courthouse and jail was going to be cost prohibitive. Wright said about a year-and-a-half ago Todd Farley told Sheriff Landers there is already a line, so basically it would just require getting the equipment in the two buildings.

Wright said what he is asking is for an authorization to go out for proposals for bids to set equipment up in at least one courtroom and one over at the county jail. He is also working with the Department of Corrections to see if they could be tied into the system, so DOC personnel do not have to escort their prisoners over to the courthouse.

Wright is looking at cost effective ways to set everything up.

A veteran’s treatment court in McClean County is a circuit-wide program for veterans who find themselves involved with the criminal justice system. Wright said it is a problem-solving court because numbers are not large enough to justify each county having their own veteran’s treatment court. Everything goes through McClean County and it is run by Judge Feeny of Woodford County.

The McClean County Veteran’s Court received a grant through a national foundation to get networking to outer counties to appear by video. So, Wright said there is an outside chance Logan County can just tap into that and link it up to the jail, which would be less expensive than putting in a whole new system.

Wright said they are asking to go out for bids understanding that they are “following two tracks of a railroad” as they pursue setting up equipment for video conferencing while at the same time seeing how the veteran’s court unfolds.

The target date to have veteran’s court up and running is October 25. Wright said they would be able to see if Logan County could interface with veteran’s court and whether we would need flat screen televisions.

Board member Scott Schaffenacker asked why that target date had been set.

Wright said that date is for the veteran’s treatment court and not necessarily for our county and the bid proposal, but that is through their grant. If we link up to McClean County, we may not need new equipment.

Board member Chuck Ruben said the sheriff has offered to spearhead the project by gathering the bids and the information.

Schaffenacker asked whether the sheriff has offered anything from his budget if we cannot get a grant.

Because it is an extraordinary expense, Ruben said the board may be able to take it out of another fund. Since video conferencing would save overtime costs for the Sheriff’s Department, put deputies back on the road and be more efficient, Ruben said it would save the county money in the long run.

Board member David Hepler asked if Veteran’s Assistant Commission funding could be used for veteran’s court because he thinks they may be willing to help.

Though unsure whether VAC funding could be used, Wright said he would check.

Board member Cameron Halpin said he thinks it is a great idea for saving deputies time and to use 21st century innovation. He offered to help the sheriff with looking at bids.

Board member Bob Sanders asked if the video conferencing would be available for high security risks.

For certain types of cases it would be, though Wright said those who have a trial still have a right to be present for the trial and in certain substantive hearings, prisoners still need to be brought over. If they are high risk and it is a status call or jury waiver, it could be done through video conferencing. Wright said linking up with DOC would also help with officer safety.

At the Regular Board meeting on Tuesday, Ruben would motion to go out for bids for video conferencing.

[Angela Reiners]